Mongo (Red Mung) Sesame Buns

Mongo Sesame Buns or red mung sesame buns are soft bread filled with sweet red bean paste, then topped with savory sesame seeds to finish. Great flavors combined in small pockets of bread!

Hi friends! Our recipe for today is but another proof of how there is just an endless list of things that you can fill  bread with. Right? You can probably name some off the top of your head right now.

Cheese, fruit jam, hotdogs..just endless. Our bread today is filled with a sweet and earthy red mung bean paste.

Mongo (or monggo) as we call it are the red beans or red mung beans. One that is commonly used as an ingredient for desserts.

In this recipe, the beans are boiled until they are very soft, then processed and cooked again to form a thick, spreadable paste.

Mongo Sesame Buns

• Think of these as a close relative of the sweet sesame buns (Buchi) found in Chinese buffets. The only difference is that, well, these are made with bread dough.
• Buchis are made of a different kind of dough that I think is more complicated to make (for me at least). I know because I tried (and failed).

How to Make Mongo Sesame Buns?

In a bowl, add warm water. Sprinkle the yeast and a little bit of sugar. Let this stand for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture is foamy.

Add in the eggs, milk, sugar, softened butter and salt. Stir the mixture well.

Add 3 and 1/2 cups of the flour, one cup at a time, stirring well in between.

For the remaining flour, you will add only just enough of it until the dough gathers in the center of the bowl. You want a soft, shaggy mass but not dry. It is okay if there is leftover flour. You can use it later for kneading.

Turn the dough over onto a floured board. Knead the dough using your palms and the weight of your lower body, pushing it down and away from you. Fold the dough inwards then continue kneading. Fold, knead and repeat until the dough is smooth and elastic.

To help with the stickiness, dust your hands and your kneading surface with the remaining flour only as needed. New to kneading? Check out my How to Knead Bread Dough with Video Post.

Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a bowl. Cover it with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise at room temperature for 1 and 1/2 hours, or until doubled in size.

Deflate the risen dough. Divide it into 16 portions. Flatten a portion with your palms, then spoon about 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of the monggo filling in the center. Fold the dough around the filling to cover it, then shape the dough into a smooth ball.

Twist the ends together under the ball to seal. Repeat the process with the remaining dough portions and arrange them on a baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper. Cover the pan loosely with a kitchen towel and let them rise for about an hour.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Brush the buns with egg wash and then sprinkle sesame seeds generously on top. Bake the mongo buns at 350 F for 18-22 minutes, or until golden.

And as always enjoy every bite. Happy baking my friends. May these sweet buns be one of your joys today.

Other Delicious Bread Recipes You Can Try:

• Spanish Bread 
• Dulce de Leche Buns
• Sweet Beehive Buns
• Braided Hotdog Buns
• Cheddar Cheese Buns
• Cheese Loaf Bread
• Pull-Apart Cinnamon Milk Bread

Continue to Content

Mongo (Red Mung) Sesame Buns

Yield: 16

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Additional Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours 50 minutes

Mongo Sesame Buns or red mung sesame buns are soft bread filled with sweet red bean paste, then topped with savory sesame seeds to finish.

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Ingredients

For the Sweet Red Bean Paste

• 1 and 1/4 cup red mung beans
• 3/4 cup sugar
• water to cover the beans

For the Bread Dough

• 1/4 cup warm water (105-115 F)
• 2 and 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
• 3/4 cup warm milk
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 and 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg for egg wash
• sesame seeds for toppings

Instructions

Make the Sweet Red Mung Bean Paste

1. In a pot or bowl, cover the red mung beans with enough water. Let this soak overnight. The next day, rinse the beans well. Place in a pot and pour enough water over it to cover the beans.
2. Bring to a boil while stirring often. Lower the heat and allow the beans to cook until they are soft and mashable. Let the beans cool then drain and transfer into a blender or food processor. Pulse the beans until it is pureed. You may add a bit of water here just to help the processor blend the beans well.
3. Once the beans puree is relatively smooth, transfer it into a medium saucepan. Add sugar and over medium heat, cook the mixture until it is very thick and is pulling away from the sides of the pan. Transfer to a container and allow to cool.

Make the Dough

1. In a mixing bowl, add warm water. Sprinkle the yeast and about a teaspoon of the sugar. Let the mixture stand for about 5 minutes, or until foam forms on the surface.
2. Add the milk, egg, softened butter, the remaining sugar and salt. Stir everything well.
3. Add 3 and 1/2 cup of flour gradually, stirring after each addition. Add some of the remaining flour, a little bit at a time in between stirring, just until the dough gathers in the center of the bowl. You may not need the entire amount of flour. We only need to see the dough comes together into a shaggy mass, but we don't want it dry or overfloured.
4. Turn the dough over on a floured board. Start to knead the dough with your palms, using the weight of your lower body to push the dough down and away from you. Fold the dough inwards and repeat the kneading motion. Then fold again, then knead. You may add a bit of the remaining flour here, a little bit at a time, to the board and into your hands to help with the stickiness of the dough. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. Shape the kneaded dough into a ball, and place it in a bowl. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature for 1 and 1/2 hours.
5. After the dough has risen, deflate it and divide it into 14-16 portions. Flatten a portion with your palms so you have a flattened circle. Spoon about 1 and 1/2 tbsp of mongo paste in the center of the dough. Fold and close the dough around the filling, shape it into a smooth ball and seal the ends. Repeat with the rest of the dough portions. Arrange the shaped dough on a rectangular baking pan that is lined with parchment paper. Give it about an inch of space in between.
6. Cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Let it rise for about an hour or until the dough is puffy and doubled in size. Preheat oven to 350 F. Brush the dough with beaten egg wash then sprinkle sesame seeds generously on top. Bake at 350 f for 18-22minutes, or until the buns are lightly golden.
   

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 153Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 221mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 2gSugar: 14gProtein: 5g