Rose Red Bean Paste Buns

s Dahan—the last of the 24 Solar Terms in the traditional Chinese calendar—has just passed, the footsteps of spring are already drawing near. The golden wattles are beginning to bloom, bringing the first signs of the new season. 

This morning’s breakfast is full of the feeling of spring. 

The steamed buns are filled with a rose and adzuki bean paste. I used rose-infused water to make both the filling and the dough. The weather has been quite damp lately, especially after returning from China, and I’ve been feeling the effects of excess dampness. That’s why I chose adzuki beans (chi xiao dou), which are traditionally used to drain dampness and clear toxins, rather than the sweeter red beans that are more nourishing. Adzuki beans are darker in colour and don’t become as smooth or creamy when cooked, so the filling isn’t as bright and vibrant as one made with red beans. I also mixed in some dried rose petals. They didn’t make the colour any brighter, but they gave the filling a beautiful rose fragrance. I didn’t add any sugar—just a little honey. 

The dough was also made with rose-infused water. I used half plain flour and half wholemeal flour. Nature itself is the perfect example of yin-yang balance. The bran layer of grains is incredibly important for our health. Foods that are overly refined tend to make us crave stronger and stronger flavours. That’s why traditional coarse salt doesn’t usually make people develop a preference for saltier foods, whereas highly refined table salt often does. Mixing wholemeal flour into the dough is therefore much healthier, even though the buns aren’t quite as white and delicate as those made with refined flour alone. 

This morning’s porridge was a smooth blend of apple and millet. The green of the apple and the golden yellow of the millet create exactly the soft yellow-green colour of early spring. Its gentle sweetness with just a hint of tartness also tastes like spring. 

I’m not a big fan of Costco’s rotisserie chicken, but the kids ask for it every now and then. On its own, I find it rather bland. I like to tear it into small pieces and quickly stir-fry it with fresh chilli and onion, then add a splash of soy sauce and finish with a generous handful of chopped spring onions. It tastes so much better that way.