Thai Lao Steam Bun

Today marks the one year anniversary of Thai & Lao Food blogging. With full time employment and part-time blogging, I am exhausted!

Here is the traditional Thai Lao Steam bun recipe filled with pork, egg, mushrooms, and sweet sausages. I make steam buns on weekends; then I freeze the buns in containers. I would thaw in the fridge overnight and warm in the microwave for 20 seconds. This makes a quick breakfast on the go and I take them to work as a delicious alternative to sandwiches.

Appetizer Recipe: Thai Lao Steam Bun
1 package of steam bun mix. Look for steam bun picture to make sure you have the right package
½ cup sugar
1 cup fresh soy milk
1 tablespoon oil
12 quail eggs or 3 chicken eggs
2 Asian sweet sausages
1 cup ground pork
2 dried shiitake mushrooms soaked in hot water for 20 minutes
2 shallots minced
1 clove garlic minced
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons oyster sauce or hoisin sauce
12 wax paper cut into 2 inches square
2 tablespoons white vinegar

There should be directions on the package of the steam bun. However here are the basic steps:

1. For the Dough - mix the package with fresh soy milk, sugar and oil. Knead dough for 5 minutes. Leave dough aside for 20 minutes. Knead again for 2 minutes and divide dough into 12 equal balls.

2. For Pork Filling - boil quail eggs for 15 minutes or chicken eggs for 20 minutes. Cut large eggs in quarters. Cut sweet sausages into 12 pieces or into very small pieces. For pork filling, add chopped garlic, shallots and mushrooms, salt, pepper, and oyster sauce.

3. Putting it together - Sprinkle flour onto hard surface and roll dough out into a large circle slightly larger than palm of hand. Add eggs, sausages and 1 tablespoon of pork filling. Gather opposite edges and meet in the middle. Pinch dough to seal out any small air holes. Place wax paper under base of steam bun. Place six buns in each stainless steel steaming layer.

4. Add water into steaming pot so it levels 2 inches. Add vinegar and bring water to boil. Add steaming layers with bun over the steaming pot. Steam bun 10 minutes. Lift lid of steamer to remove condensation. Steam another 10 minutes.

Fresh Soy Milk

Merry Christmas! I spent Christmas Eve and Christmas morning with my parents. We "roughed it" in the farm house which I have not slept in for over 13 years. In the morning instead of reheating sticky rice, my dad and I roasted sticky rice with eggs over an open fire just like we use to. Some things don't change and I wouldn't change a thing.

My favourite song for Christmas is "Let There be Peace and Earth and Let it begin with me." May you love yourself and be gentle to yourself so that you can shine and spread your cheer to the world. Peace on earth and let it begin with me / you.

I post this vegetarian drink recipe because every Christmas I over eat. So for one day, I eat nothing but drink fresh soy milk to shed the extra pounds I had gained over the holidays. My parents drink fresh soy milk to lower their cholesterol.

Drink Recipe: Fresh Soy Milk2/3 cup dry soy beans
6 cups water
1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)

Rinse dry soy beans in water to remove any debris. Add water to cover soy beans and soak for minimun of 8 hours. Drain water and add to blender with 6 cups of water. Blend for about 30 seconds. Drain soy milk through a cheese clothe or a colander that has very small holes. Discard grounded soy beans. Boil the soy milk in medium heat for 15 minutes and make sure soy milk does not boil over. Remove from heat and stir in optional salt and sugar. Serve hot or cold. Use fresh soy milk in the steam bun recipe.