Sanghwabyeong (상화병, Goryeo Fermented Wheat Bun)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Digital scale
• •Medium heavy pot for red beans
• •Potato masher or food processor
• •Large mixing bowl or stand mixer
• •Bamboo or metal steamer basket with a fitted lid
• •Clean kitchen towel for wrapping the lid
• •10 parchment squares, about 4 inches each

Instructions

1. 1

   Boil the beans

   Put the red beans in a pot with 600ml of the water and bring to a boil. Boil 5 minutes, then drain and rinse the beans. That first water carries the harsh, dusty taste people blame on red bean paste. Throw it away without regret.

2. 2

   Cook the filling

   Return the beans to the pot with the remaining 900ml water. Simmer 55 to 70 minutes, until a bean crushes easily between your fingers. If the beans rise above the liquid before they soften, add 120ml hot water, not cold water, so the cooking does not stall. Drain, reserving 60ml of the cooking liquid.

3. 3

   Sweeten and thicken

   Mash the beans while warm, then stir in the 100g sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the jocheong if using. Cook over medium-low heat 6 to 8 minutes, stirring constantly, until a spoon dragged across the pot leaves a clean path for 2 seconds. The paste should weigh about 480 to 500g and hold its shape in a mound. Cool it completely before filling the buns.

   Warm filling makes the dough slack and wet. A bun that leaks often began as a filling that was not cooled, not as bad shaping.
4. 4

   Mix the dough

   In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, 35g sugar, 5g salt, and instant yeast. In a separate cup, stir together the makgeolli, warm water, and 1 tablespoon oil. Pour the liquid into the flour and mix until no dry patches remain. Makgeolli brings flavor and a little acidity; the measured yeast keeps the rise steady in a home kitchen.

5. 5

   Knead and rise

   Knead by hand for 8 to 10 minutes, or in a stand mixer on low for 6 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic, and just tacky. Oil the bowl with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil, set the dough inside, cover, and let it rise at warm room temperature until doubled, 60 to 90 minutes. Press a floured finger into the dough; the dent should fill back slowly.

6. 6

   Divide by weight

   Divide the cooled red bean filling into 10 balls of 45g each. Divide the dough into 10 balls of about 65g each. Keep both covered while you work. Weighing matters here because uneven buns cook unevenly, and an overfilled bun splits no matter how pretty your pleats are.

7. 7

   Fill and seal

   Flatten one dough ball into an 11cm round, keeping the center slightly thicker than the edge. Set one red bean ball in the middle, bring the edges up around it, and pinch firmly to seal. Twist the seam once, set the bun seam-side down on a parchment square, and cup it gently with both hands to make it round. The thicker center protects the top from tearing; the thinner edge gives you enough dough to close the bottom cleanly.

8. 8

   Proof the buns

   Set the shaped buns on their parchment squares, leaving room between them, and cover lightly. Let them rest 30 to 40 minutes, until puffed by about half, not doubled. Touch one lightly; it should feel airy but still resilient. Underproofed buns crack. Overproofed buns wrinkle. This is where the old recipe asks you to watch.

9. 9

   Prepare the pot

   Bring 5cm of water to a steady boil in a steamer pot. Wrap the lid in a clean kitchen towel and tie it up away from the flame or burner, so water droplets do not fall onto the bun skins. Arrange the buns at least 4cm apart in the basket or rack. They need room to expand without touching.

10. 10

    Cook without peeking

    Cover and steam the buns over medium-high heat for 14 minutes. Do not lift the lid during the first 12 minutes; cold air collapses the skin before the structure sets. Turn off the heat and leave the lid closed for 3 minutes, then crack it open 1cm for 2 minutes before uncovering fully. That slow release keeps the buns round.

11. 11

    Serve warm

    Serve the sanghwabyeong warm, while the skin is soft and the red bean filling is settled. Tear one open instead of cutting it first. You should see an even ring of pale bread around the filling, not a thin top and a heavy bottom. Write down the makgeolli brand and the proofing time that worked in your kitchen. Memory is a borrowed bowl.

Chef Tips

• •Use plain makgeolli, not fruit-flavored makgeolli. Unpasteurized gives the best old rice-wine aroma, but pasteurized makgeolli still works because the yeast is measured separately.
• •Store-bought pat-anggeum (sweet red bean paste) is a safe shortcut. Weigh 45g per bun and choose a thick paste made for filling, not a loose sauce meant for shaved ice.
• •All-purpose flour gives the right soft chew. Bread flour makes the skin tougher than this bun wants, and cake flour alone cannot hold the filling cleanly.
• •The towel around the lid is not decoration. Droplets falling onto the buns leave pocked skins, and a holiday bun should look cared for.
• •Do not sweeten the red bean until after the beans are tender. Sugar tightens the skins and slows softening, so the beans must cook plain first.

Advance Preparation

• •The red bean filling can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated, covered tightly. Bring it back to cool room temperature before shaping so it is firm but not cold-hard.
• •Cooked buns keep 2 days refrigerated or 1 month frozen. Reheat refrigerated buns over boiling water for 5 minutes, or frozen buns for 10 to 12 minutes.
• •For a holiday table, make the filling the day before and the dough the morning of serving. The shaped buns are best cooked after their final proof, not held all day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 120g)