Sambal Ikan Bilis Buns

The Sambal Ikan Bilis Buns are savoury - a bit salty, a bit sweet and (a bit or can be very) spicy, delicious to the palate. It can be easily bought from the bakeries. However, they will not be generous with the sambal ikan bilis as compared to the ones we make ourselves. Good for breakfast, afternoon tea or supper, these buns will surely be snapped up by family members and will be finished in no time.

Ingredients for the sambal: (to make 150 g of sambal)

• 10 pcs red chilies
• 10 pcs dried chilies
• 5 pcs bird's eye chilies (chili padi) (optional)
• 1 small onion
• 3 pcs shallots
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 inch shrimp paste/belacan

• 75 g ikan bilis
• 5 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 tbsp sugar
• Salt, to taste

• Instructions:

• Remove the stems of the red chilies. Wash and dry them. Then, cut them into smaller pieces. Some people may not like the seeds and would like to remove them. However, I do not remove them.


• Remove the stems of the dried chilies. Wash and soak them overnight or soak them for at least 4 hours with hot water. When they have softened, cut them into smaller pieces. You may or may not remove the seeds but I did not.


• The bird's eye chilies are for those who want a very spicy sambal. You may leave them out if you wish. if you are including them, then remove the stems and wash them.


• Remove the skin of the onions and slice them.


• Remove the skin of the shallot and slice them.


• Remove the skin of the garlic and chop them up roughly.


• Toast the shrimp paste.


• Put all the ingredients into the grinder/blender.


• How fine you want your sambal to be depends on you.


• Heat up wok with cooking oil.


• Add the ikan bilis and fry them till they are crispy. Remove and set aside.


• Add your blended chili paste into the wok.


• Saute the chili paste till it is fragrant.


• Add the ikan bilis back to the wok.


• Add sugar and stir till it is melted.


• Add salt to the chili paste (according to taste).


• Fry till the sambal is dry.


• Divide your sambal ikan bilis into 10 portions.

Ingredients for the dough:

• 500 g bread flour
• 100 g castor sugar or you may reduce the amount slightly. (You may use brown sugar.)
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 3 tbsp milk powder
• 2 tsp yeast
• 280 ml lukewarm milk
• 2 eggs at room temperature
• 50 g butter at room temperature

• Egg Wash:
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp milk

• Instructions:

• Activate the yeast - Add a bit of sugar to some of the lukewarm milk, stirring the milk to dissolve the sugar and then sprinkle the yeast onto it.


• Once bubbles have formed (after approximately 10 minutes), the yeast mixture is ready.


• Add flour and milk powder into the bowl of your stand mixer.


• Add in the rest of the sugar.


• Add in the salt.


• Transfer the yeast mixture into the mixing bowl.


• Add the rest of the lukewarm milk into the bowl.


• Break the egg into the mixing bowl.


• Start kneading until a dough ball is formed. Once that is achieved, add in the butter.


• Continue to knead until the butter is incorporated into the dough.


• Continue to knead until the dough passes the window pane test.


• Grease a bowl.


• Transfer the dough into the greased bowl, cover the bowl with a cling wrap and put a wet towel over the cling wrap. Let the dough proof until it is double in size.


• Slightly flour the table top. (I like to slightly oil the table top.)


• Transfer the dough onto the table top.


• Roll the dough out into a long rectangular shape (horizontally).


• Fold the dough into 3 by bringing the right part onto the centre part followed by the left.


• Then roll the dough out again into a long rectangular shape (vertically) and fold into 3 again.


• Do this process at least 6 times (alternating between vertical and horizontal roll-outs).


• Once this is done, cut the dough into 10 pieces of about 95 g each.


• Roll these pieces into little balls and cover them with cling wrap.




Assembling:

• Take a dough ball and roll it flat into a 5-inch circle.


• Put one portion of the sambal ikan bilis in the centre of the circle.

• Gather the sides to close the dough and pinch to seal.


• Turn the dough ball so that the seam side is below.


• Cup the dough ball with both palms and move it in a circular motion till it is round and smooth.


• Place it onto an greased cupcake liner and place the liner onto a baking tray.


• Repeat these steps until all the sambal ikan bilis have been embedded in the dough ball.

• Cover the tray with cling wrap and let the dough balls proof for 1 hour or until they are double in size.


• Break the egg into a bowl and add the milk to it. Beat the egg and brush the dough balls with the egg-milk mixture.


• Bake the dough balls in a pre-heated oven at 175 deg C for 20-25 minutes.


• Remove the buns from the tray immediately after baking and let them cool down on a wire rack.