Dough for bapao

Bapao is one of my family’s favorite food. Unfortunately, I could not make it. I followed many different recipes to make it, though I was not successful.

Luckily, my friend knows how to make it very well. She taught me how to make bapao.

Yesterday, I did it again with my kids. I was surprised at how good they were.

Hereby her recipe. banh bao 1

Dough for bapao (Oratai Neng Meijers )

Ingredienten:

First dough (1)

– bapao flour: 750 gram

– sugar: 20 gram

– yeast: 20 gram

bapao meel2– water (warm): 400gram

Second dough (2)

– bapao flour: 300 gram

– baking powder: 10 gram

– olive oil: 100 gram

– sugar: 200 gram

– Water (warm): 80 gram  bak poeder

A: First dough:

– Mix the flour and sugar together.

– Combine yeast with 80 grams of hand-warm water.

– Then mix the yeast paste into the flour.

– Mix well. Knead it 5 minutes.

– Let it rise in a warm place 1 hour, until the mixture becomes froth. banh bao 3

B:

– Mix the olive oil, de sugar and water.

– Mix the flour with the baking powder*. Then mix this (50% *) with the first dough.

– After that mix it with the olive sauce.

– Knead the dough 10 minutes. It is wet, then add (50%*) of flour until it no longer sticks to your fingers.

– Roll every piece about 40 grams into a ball, roll out into a circle and fill with your meat mix.

– Let them rise for about 15 minutes.

– Steam them for about 12 minutes

Wish you success!

Thank you very much Neng.

Swimming in the winter

I believe that Vietnamese people would be surprised if they knew Dutch people went swimming in the winter.

People in Vietnam prefer to stay home or at least inside when it is cold or it rains. What do Dutch people do in the winter? The weather is quite stable here: it rains heavily and a lot of wind blows most days of the week. Would you go for a walk? Do you want to go shopping or go out for a cup of coffee with your friends on these day? I would not join you.

Children will not like to go shopping with you either. I think. They will be not happy staying at home or inside throughout the winter. How can they burn their energy? Take them to the swimming pool!

You will meet your friends, your neighbors and maybe even someone who you like to disappear from the earth in the swimming pool.

Do not be surprised if you see many pregnant women or parents with their little children, not even toddlers, swim and play around you.

My first child went swimming when she was four months old. She liked it very much. The second child began went she was seven months old. Both of them like swimming.

Every Dutch child must have swimming diploma A. That is the
basic level. Many children have lessons until they have diploma C. My children are busy practicing.

I do not have any swimming diploma, luckily I still can swim. My family often goes swimming. Yup! Also in the winter.