It took me three years to learn the secrets from a chef's travelling book!
Written by Money Tai Tai
Since I returned from western countries two decades ago, I learned how to make Ang Mo bread from quite a number of different breadmaking books. At first my bread making was exciting because I could produce the shape that looked like Ang Mo Bau shapes, but the minute I cut through the bread, flakes also dropping along with my knife!
Finally I learned the secret of making dough during my confinement about 8 years ago. What I wanted was something elastic and chewy, Ang Mo bread won't get appreciated by most older generation China-men and 'China-women" as most of them got fake teeth or bridged teeth. So they will tell you they prefer Taiwanese style super soft bread like Tofu.
I have two Ang Mo brothers-in-law, one of them can speak perfect Mandarin, whenever I pulled his leg by calling him Ang Mo or Bai Choo he just gave me a smile. I like him because I think he got a big heart, confident enough, could easily take nasty jokes and crack along with them. Different races would usually give 'nick-name' to other races (according to their specific features or significants), sometimes right in front but most often behind a closed door .... in short almost every race wants to compete as 'the most superior' race.
To proof that we are cultivated and polite, so called mutual respect ..... it's nicest not to mention Ang Mo, La Kiang, Ching Ching Chong Chong, Eat Grass Animal, niggers, etc.
My 'Ang Mo' word in my blog was written in a playful manner just like how I usually pull my brother-in-law's leg, but I would never dare to call another of my Ang Mo brother-in-law as 'Ang Mo'. He is always serious, meticulous in his work, very highly discipline and he is like a mirror, if I call him Ang Mo, I could immediately see the reflection writes, "Ching Ching Chong Chong!"
STEP BY STEP EASY WAY
FROM HOW TO MAKE DOUGH TO A BREAD
ADD A TEASPOON OF YEAST, A TEASPOON OF SALT AND HALF KILOGRAM OF ORGANIC PLAIN WHEAT FLOUR (OPTIONAL: YOU CAN USE WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR OR MIXTURE OF BOTH)
ADD HOT WATER
ADD WARM WATER (ADJUST YOURSELF)
MIX WITH ONE OF YOUR CLEANED HAND
FEEL LIKE PLAYING DOUGH, KNEAD UNTIL IT WON'T STICK YOUR HAND
THROW THE DOUGH UP AND DOWN FOR 30 TO 50 TIMES
FIRST STEP HAS ACHIEVED
SPREAD SOME FLOUR ON THE BOTTOM OF A PLASTIC CONTAINER AND SOME FLOUR ABOVE THE DOUGH
COVER THE CONTAINER WITH DOUGH TIGHTLY AND PUT IN THE REFRIGERATOR. (NOT FREEZOR) LEAVE IT THERE MINIMUM FOR A DAY, MAXIMUM FOR A WEEK
I WOULD USUALLY LEAVE IT FOR THREE DAYS IN THE REFRIGERATOR, THIS IS HOW IT LOOKED BY THEN (ADVISE TO LEAVE WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR DOUGH IN THE REFRIGERATOR FOR LONGER TIME)
USE A CUTTING BOARD, SRPINKLE SOME FLOUR ON TOP OF IT BEFORE LEAVE A HANDFUL SIZE OF DOUGH ON IT
SHAPE INTO A ROUND BALL
FLATTERN IT
NOW USE A ROLLER TO FLATTERN IT
NOW ROLL IT
NOW TAPPER IT
YOU CAN SHAPE IT FROM SIDEWAYS , LATERAL WAYS OR ALL WAYS!
LOOK AT THIS OBLONG SHAPE
USE A KNIFE GIVES A FEW SLASHED LINE IN EITHER DIRECTION. AFTER THIS, LEAVE THIS DOUGH OUTSIDE THE ROOM TEMPERATURE FOR AT LEAST TWO HOURS; GLAZE SOME EGG WHITE MIXED WITH WATER. IN BETWEEN BAKING GLAZE IT ONCE OR TWICE AGAIN. BAKE WITH NORMAL BREAD MAKING TEMPERATURE
IT WILL BREAK THIS WAY IF YOU DIDN'T LET IT GROW FULLY BEFORE BAKING
THIS BREAD WAS WITHOUT ANY EGG WHITE GLAZED ON THE SURFACE BUT THE COLOR IS STILL NICE RIGHT? THIS BREAKFAST ROLL IS DIGESTING INSIDE MY STOMACH NOW!
