Sibeiho Bun Susi Recipe: Childhood Revisited

Bun Susi was always a thing that usually made an appearance around Easter. Auntie F would make them for the church bazaar and there would always be half a dozen for us. These spiced minced meat in soft rolls would disappear in record time into our tummies.

Makes about 16 mini buns

THE BREAD

PART ONE: THE BUN

400g white flour

90g sugar
200g room temp water
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
200g sour dough starter

Mix it all up in food processor or by hand. Knead 5-10 min till the gluten forms and if in the mixer, it stops sticking to the side of the bowl and feels like there’s elasticity. Rest covered for 30 min. Then do the angel fold. Repeat again. Then stick the covered dough into the fridge overnight.

THE FILLING

PART TWO: THE FILLING (*You can make this the next day or ahead of time)

2 white onions diced finely

1 lb minced pork (or substitute with mushrooms)

1 sweet potato 🍠 finely diced

2 Tbsp Coriander powder
2 Tbsp white pepper
2 Tbsp dark soy sauce
Vegetable Oil

Heat pan. Add oil & brown the onions till soft and translucent. Add pork, breaking it into fine mince till cooked. Add spices & soy sauce. Then add the sweet potato. Cook until the sweet potato is just soft (not mushy). Then put aside to cool.

The next day：FYI - You need an egg for the egg wash over the baked buns.
Let the dough up warm up to room temp. Then do 30min rest intervals with angel folds. We did it about three times. Then cut the dough up into 45g pieces. Roll out; fill with about 1 Tbsp of the mixture. Shape into round balls and place on little squares of parchment paper.
Rest for about 20min.

Cooking Method: Steam or Baked

STEAMING METHOD: Wait for water to boil. Place the buns in a steamer if you have one. If not, improvise with a deep pasta pot, add water at the bottom using a bowl at the base. Make sure the plate is smaller than the diameter of the pot; put the buns on the plate and lower gently onto the bowl. Steam them like Chinese Baos - about 25 min.

BAKING METHOD: Heat oven to about 320F. Put the buns on a silicon baking mat or parchment paper. Slide into oven and bake for 10 min. Pull them out and brush egg wash over them and stick them back in for 10min.

Btw- there will be leftover filling - we are just eating it with steamed rice and our housemade Sambal- it’s good that way too. Enjoy!