I have never been a fan of hum jeem pang, it is often too alkaline tasting and very often there isn’t enough red bean paste filling in the “pang”. It would also seem that save for a few stalwart hawkers most of the hum jeem pangs and you tiaos are made in factories/central kitchens and dispatched to various outlets for on the spot frying. I can understand for ease, they are probably made with that in mind, ready proofed and semi cooked.

The BH wanted to eat Hum Jeem Pang so we set about making some during this extended CB (Circuit Breaker of 2020, aka Lockdown Covid 19). I goggled a few recipes and this was the one I found, but I made a few adjustments and used my own sour dough starter The TempYEAST. I also decreased the hydration cos working with such a wet dough is a B*TCH and I don’t want to subject ANYONE to that. I also added some salt in the dough cos we all know SALT is LYFE.

I also made the red bean paste from scratch cos I didn’t want so much sugar in mine, but you can use the ready made red bean pastes out there. Or you can also switch it up and stuff it with anything you like, chocolate, green been paste, lotus seed paste, the possibilities are endless! 

INGREDIENTS
Starter:180 g of TempYEAST starter (or your own sour dough starter, or 90g AP flour+90g water with the vinegar and proofed for 15 hours)
8g apple cider vinegar

Dough
440 gr bread flour
130 g sugar
5g baking soda
3g lye water
220 ml/g water
6g instant yeast
3g salt

Sweet red bean paste
Boil 100g of red beans with water covering it, and until soft, blend with about 20g of sugar, and 5g of salt. (this is completely arbitary, use as much sugar as you like, or not)

INSTRUCTIONS
Bung all your ingredients for dough in a large mixing bowl for stand mixer with your starter. Use a dough hook to knead the dough at medium speed for 2 minutes. Proof it for about 1 hour (in SG heat or until it doubles which is a bazillion hours in the UK?)

Shaping (for hum jeem pang with sweet red bean paste filling):
Dust your working surface and your hands generously with all-purpose flour. Pour the dough out. The dough is very soft. Cut the dough into 16 equal pieces of about 60g each. (update : the bh and I decided that 40 g is better for petite appetites, but feel free to go with 60 or even 80g)

Flatten the dough slightly and then place the sweet bean paste ball in the middle of the dough
Gather the side to wrap and seal. Press some white sesame seeds on top and bottom so that it won’t stick to your baking paper. Proof for about 30 minutes.
Heat oil until 325 f and deep fry the dough. When dough floats to the top, use the chopsticks to turn dough as frequently as possible. Turning the dough allows even puffiness. Fry until dough is golden brown. Place on an absorbent paper towel to absorb extra oil. Transfer to serving plate. Serve warm