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Tau sar piah
Mung bean pastries
豆沙饼 · Penang's bite-sized mung bean pastries
Old biscuit shops in George Town, Penang, still bake tau sar piah in big trays every morning, and tourists leave with stacks of plastic tubs. The pastries are only a couple of bites each: a tender, flaky shell, glazed golden, around a fluffy mung bean filling. Penang bakers sell two kinds, sweet, and a savoury-sweet one with fried shallots and white pepper, which is what many locals prefer; this recipe gives the sweet filling with the savoury twist as an option. The pastry is traditionally made with lard; this version uses vegetable shortening and keeps them vegetarian. Chef's tip: leave a small, unfloured patch at the seam when wrapping, because floury edges won't stick together and the pastries split open as they bake.
- Total time
- 112 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 15
Ingredients
For the filling
- 7 oz peeled split mung beanssoaked for 3 hours
- 3 ⅛ oz caster sugar
- 3 tbsp neutral oil
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 tbsp crispy fried shallots (optional)crushed, for the savoury version
- ½ tsp white pepper (optional)for the savoury version
For the water dough
- 6 oz plain flour
- ⅔ oz caster sugar
- 2 oz vegetable shortening
- ¼ cup water
For the oil dough
- 3 ⅞ oz plain flour
- 2 oz vegetable shortening
To glaze
- 1 egg yolkbeaten with 1 tsp water and a drop of dark soy sauce; or brush with soy milk for an egg-free glaze
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Method
0/10 doneStep 1: Drain 7 oz peeled split mung beans and steam them on a plate or in a lined steamer basket over boiling water for 25 minutes, until they crush easily between your fingers.
25 minStep 2: Mash the hot beans to a fine paste. Fry in a non-stick pan over a low heat with 3 ⅛ oz caster sugar, ½ tsp salt and 3 tbsp neutral oil for 8–10 minutes, until dry and fluffy. Stir in 3 tbsp crispy fried shallots and ½ tsp white pepper now for the savoury kind. Cool and roll into 15 balls.
25 minStep 3: Rub 2 oz vegetable shortening into 6 oz plain flour and ⅔ oz caster sugar, add ¼ cup water and knead to a smooth, soft dough. Rest, covered, for 20 minutes.
25 minStep 4: Work 2 oz vegetable shortening into 3 ⅞ oz plain flour to a soft paste. Divide both doughs into 15 small balls.
Step 5: Wrap each oil-dough ball in a flattened water-dough ball. Roll into a strip, roll up, turn, roll out and roll up again. Rest the coils for 10 minutes under a cloth.
15 minStep 6: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan) and line a tray with baking paper.
Step 7: Flatten each coil into a 7 cm round, set a ball of filling in the centre and gather the edges over it, pinching firmly. Roll lightly and set seam side down, pressing each into a slightly domed disc 4–5 cm wide.
15 minStep 8: Brush the tops twice with 1 egg yolk, letting the first coat dry for a minute.
Step 9: Bake for 20–22 minutes, until the tops are a shiny deep golden and the sides are dry and flaky.
21 minStep 10: Cool completely. Keep in an airtight tub for up to a week.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 190 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 25 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tau sar piah take?
- About 112 minutes in total: 90 minutes to prepare and 22 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 15 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
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