Steamed Flax Seed Milk Flower Rolls 亚麻子花卷 - Steamed Buns # 3

Flax seeds are nutritious. According to Wikipedia, besides being high in fibre and omega-3 fatty acids, it also helps to lower cholesterol and benefits those who are having breast and prostrate cancer. If you're diabetic, it's also good for you because it helps by stabilizing your blood sugar. But take this with caution if you are on oral medication. It's high fibre content may interrupt with the medication and you must drink lots of water whenever you take flax seeds, if not you may end up with intestinal blockage.

Flax seeds are best taken ground. Such seeds are designed by nature to be eaten and passed out for dispersion, so, they are pretty much like the sesame seeds you ingest. They come out whole, undisturbed if you happen to never chew them. Unless you make sure you chew each flax seed, if not, it's best you eat them ground.

If you prefer your flax seeds to be finely ground, add in some flour from the recipe when you grind your flax seeds. This method helps you to attain a finer flax seed meal and reduces the stickiness due to the release of oil. Mike's aunt makes flax seed butter often and it's sticky, simply because it's purely ground flax seeds.

You know what, flax seeds is also a galactagogue.. kekekeke... I actually made these buns for my confinement breakfast. Out of the lot I made, I only get to eat a few. So many mouths to feed.... LOL.

Steamed Flax Seed Milk Flower Rolls
Recipe source: Wendyywy

500gm pau flour
220gm milk, room temperature
100gm sugar
30gm lightly toasted flax seeds, ground
½ tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
30gm butter, softened
50gm water
2 tsp instant yeast
Small pinch of sugar
3 Tbsp of oil (I used grapeseed oil, but you can use corn oil or any other flavourless oil)

1. Mix water with small pinch of sugar. Put in yeast and let it proof. The mixture will froth and look like beer bubbles.
2. Measure all dry ingredients and put into mixing bowl. Mix dry ingredients so that everything is well dispersed.
3. Make a well in the center. Pour in frothy yeast, milk and butter. (After I pour the yeast, I measure my milk in the same container so that I can rinse the yeast out, no wastage.)
4. Mix until a dough forms and knead until dough is smooth.
5. Cover and let dough proof until double. It will take about an hour, depending on weather.
6. Punch down dough and knead it for 2 minutes.
7. Divide dough into 50gm pieces. I got about 18 pieces.
8. Roll dough flat, maybe to about 1cm thick, it will resist rolling and it will pull itself back. It’s ok. Pre rolling the dough saves rolling time later during shaping. Let dough rest for 10 minutes. Please remember keep dough covered at this point. I keep it in my cold oven.
9. After resting, roll dough flatter, to the thickness of about ¼ of an inch. If dough resist to be rolled, let it rest longer.
10. Apply a thin layer of oil over rolled dough.
11. Cut slits onto dough. Be careful not to cut all the way through. I cut them 1/2cm wide.
12. Remove dough from working surface and twist dough.
13. Twist the twisted dough into a knot. Remember to hide the sides underneath the bun.
14. Place the shaped buns onto a piece of paper. I used muffin liner.
15. Cover and let it proof until double. (I proof in my cold oven)
16. Steam on high heat for 12 minutes.

these were before steaming

See the strands? Light and fluffy!