SC - Period steamed buns

Tue Jul 11 14:11:40 PDT 2000

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To be honest, I'm not sure.  As I indicated, I really don't know much
about breads, leavening agents, etc.  I was simply restating what Paul
had said to me in his message answering my questions.

Regarding the use of soda, I am assuming that it is part of the original
recipe as it is from pages that are translations of the
original...neither book is using these as redactions, but rather as
translations.  However, as I am far from being an expert, I will ask!

Kiri

"Decker, Terry D." wrote:

>  What's difficult about leavens?  This recipe suggests that the leaven
> is a sourdough, probably a cup or so of dough from the previous
> baking.You can make a basic leaven by combining 1/2 cup water and 1
> cup of flour in a bowl, cover or not as you choose (I tend to cover
> the bowl with plastic wrap because of the high levels of mold), let it
> stand on the counter for a couple days until it expands and starts
> bubbling. If you are using yeast, you might consider dissolving a
> teaspoon or two of yeast in a cup of water then adding about two cups
> of flour, cover and let stand for four to twenty-four hours, then use
> the dough as a leaven.I am curious about the soda.  Was the soda
> listed in the original recipe or did Paul add it to his adaption of
> the recipe to get a better rise?  If it is in the original recipe,
> then it is the earliest use of a chemical leaven of which I know.Bear
>
>      Yup....there were several lovely puns on this one!  However,
>      I just got the last of some information from Paul regarding
>      some of the terminology in the recipe and can now pass it
>      on.  I haven't tried it yet, but it does sound very tasty:
>
>      *Chuqmin (same as "long bread")
>
>      White flour (five chin), vegetable oil (one chin), Chinese
>      flower pepper (one liang; roast and discard the juice),
>      fennel (one liang; roast).
>
>      [Mix] ingredients and keep overnight.  Use leaven, salt,
>      soda and warm water.  Combine this with flour [dough].  The
>      next day add flour to thicken.  Combine again into a dough.
>      Divide each chin [of dough] into two loaves.  Put into a
>      lung and steam.
>
>      Notes:
>      1.  A liang = 0.11 oz or 31.20 grams
>      2.  A chin = about 500 grams
>      3.  Chinese flower pepper = Szechuan pepper
>      4.  The "leaven" used here was not the same as modern yeast,
>      but, as it is somewhat difficult to make, modern yeast could
>      be substituted.  I may have some leaven recipes to share in
>      the future.
>      5.  I'm not sure what a lung was, but am told that Chinese
>      steamer baskets would work.  Paul said he used a bread
>      maker!
>
>      Kiri
>

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<html>
To be honest, I'm not sure.  As I indicated, I really don't know much
about breads, leavening agents, etc.  I was simply restating what
Paul had said to me in his message answering my questions.
Regarding the use of soda, I am assuming that it is part of the original
recipe as it is from pages that are translations of the original...neither
book is using these as redactions, but rather as translations.  However,
as I am far from being an expert, I will ask!
Kiri
"Decker, Terry D." wrote:
<blockquote TYPE=CITE> What's
difficult about leavens?  This recipe suggests that the leaven is
a sourdough, probably a cup or so of dough from the previous baking.You
can make a basic leaven by combining 1/2 cup water and 1 cup of flour in
a bowl, cover or not as you choose (I tend to cover the bowl with plastic
wrap because of the high levels of mold), let it stand on the counter for
a couple days until it expands and starts bubbling. If
you are using yeast, you might consider dissolving a teaspoon or two of
yeast in a cup of water then adding about two cups of flour, cover and
let stand for four to twenty-four hours, then use the dough as a leaven.I
am curious about the soda.  Was the soda listed in the original recipe
or did Paul add it to his adaption of the recipe to get a better rise? 
If it is in the original recipe, then it is the earliest use of a chemical
leaven of which I know.Bear 
<blockquote 
style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Yup....there
were several lovely puns on this one!  However, I just got the last
of some information from Paul regarding some of the terminology in the
recipe and can now pass it on.  I haven't tried it yet, but it does
sound very tasty:
*Chuqmin (same as "long bread")
White flour (five chin), vegetable oil (one chin), Chinese
flower pepper (one liang; roast and discard the juice), fennel (one
liang; roast).
[Mix] ingredients and keep overnight.  Use leaven, salt, soda and
warm water.  Combine this with flour [dough].  The next day add
flour to thicken.  Combine again into a dough.  Divide each chin
[of dough] into two loaves.  Put into a lung and steam.
Notes:
 1.  A liang = 0.11 oz or 31.20 grams
 2.  A chin = about 500 grams
 3.  Chinese flower pepper = Szechuan pepper
 4.  The "leaven" used here was not the same as modern yeast, but,
as it is somewhat difficult to make, modern yeast could be substituted. 
I may have some leaven recipes to share in the future.
 5.  I'm not sure what a lung was, but am told that Chinese
steamer baskets would work.  Paul said he used a bread maker!
Kiri</blockquote>
</blockquote>
</html>

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