Banh Bao Chi (Coconut Peanut Mochi Buns), Sweetened with Monk Fruit
Sweets and drinksSteamed CakesChina45 minutes prep, 25 minutes cooking
These mochi buns take about 20 minutes in the microwave for the dough, with no steamer and no long kneading. The skin is soft and chewy, the filling is fresh coconut studded with peanuts and toasted sesame, and they are still good at room temperature.
The tricky part is that the dough is very sticky, so without a dusting of starch the whole mass clings to your hands. The filling has to be cooked down until it just holds together before rolling, because a wet filling leaks and tears the skin. A common problem is microwaving in one long burst, which cooks the dough unevenly and leaves raw patches.
This batch weighs about 806g, at roughly 195 calories per 100g.
Method
Toast 20g peanuts over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cool them, rub off the skins and crush them. Toast 10g white sesame seeds until golden.
In a bowl, mix 70g grated fresh coconut, the crushed peanuts, the toasted sesame, 72g kOBE Monk Fruit Blend and 1/3 teaspoon fine salt. Let it sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour to absorb.
Heat 1 teaspoon cooking oil and cook the filling over medium heat. Once it is hot, stir in 1 teaspoon tapioca starch and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes until the mixture holds together. Cool it, then roll it into small balls.
Sift 120g glutinous rice flour, 80g rice flour and 72g kOBE Monk Fruit Blend into a large bowl and mix well.
Pour 300ml unsweetened oat milk into the dry mix and whisk until smooth and even.
Cover the bowl with cling film, leaving a gap for steam, and microwave at 600 W for 5 minutes. Take it out, stir well, cover again and microwave for another 2 minutes.
Stir once more, rest the dough for 10 minutes, then divide it into evenly sized balls.
Dust the work surface with 50g tapioca starch. Roll each ball into a round about 3mm thick, with the edge thinner than the center.
Set a ball of filling in the middle, gather the edges to seal and roll the bun smooth.
Tips
The dough is very sticky, so a dusting of dry tapioca starch before rolling is essential.
The buns are ready to eat as soon as they are made, with no second steaming.
kOBE Monk Fruit Blend dissolves slowly, so give the filling the full 30 minutes and stir it again so it soaks right into the coconut.
Two shorter bursts in the microwave with a stir in between cook the dough evenly, with no raw core.
A little oil rubbed on your hands before shaping works better than a heavy coat of starch.
Keep the buns in an airtight box at room temperature, since the fridge turns the skin hard.
Need kOBE Monk Fruit Blend?
The recipe above is sweetened with kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, measured 1:1 like sugar. See the product page or send us a message.