Maalu Pang

Maalu Pang

Fish buns
A classic ‘short eat’ (takeaway snack).

 
For the bun dough

• 7g (1/4oz/2 tsp) dried yeast
• 1 tsp sugar (white or brown)
• 350ml (12 fl oz/11/2 cups) lukewarm water (50ml/11/4 fl oz/1/4 cup for the yeast, 300ml/101/2 fl oz/11/4 cups for the dough)
• 400g (14oz/3 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 egg, beaten, for ‘egg wash’

For filling

• 300g (101/2oz) potatoes
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2.5cm (1-inch) piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp chillli powder
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 2 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tsp salt
• 300g (101/2oz) firm fish like tuna (fresh or canned) or flaky white fish like haddock

Make the dough

1. Place the yeast in a small bowl. Add the sugar and 50ml of lukewarm water and leave to activate the yeast for 15 minutes.
2. Put the flour, salt and activated yeast into a large mixing bowl. Start adding the 300ml of lukewarm water, little by little, mixing it together with your hands as you go. Keep adding water until it all begins to bind together. You may need to add a little more flour or water to make a soft, pliable dough. Then, knead it well for about 10 minutes into a ball shape. Wrap the dough in clingfilm (plastic wrap) and set aside to rest for at least 30 minutes.
3. The dough will have risen slightly. Sprinkle a little flour on a work surface and knead the dough again a few times.

Make the filling

1. Wash the potatoes and boil them with skins on for about 15 minutes until cooked. Take them off the heat and leave to cool. Then, peel off the skins and roughly mash.
3. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over a low heat and sauté the onions, garlic and ginger, until the onions are soft and golden.
4. Add the coriander, cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, chilli powder, ground cloves, pepper and salt, and stir well.
5. Add the fish and potato and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Take the pan off the heat.

Make the buns

1. Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F/Gas Mark 2) and line a baking sheet with baking (parchment) paper.
2. Taking a handful of dough at a time, shape it into 12 lemon-sized balls. Set them aside.
3. Sprinkle some flour on the work surface, lay one dough ball at a time down and, using the palm of your hand and your fingers, flatten the ball into a triangle shape about 1/2cm (1/4 inch) thick.
4. Put 2 tablespoons of the filling in the middle of the triangle and fold the three edges of the dough in over the filling, to make a smaller triangle and press firmly to seal. Place the filled buns on the prepared baking sheet one by one.
5. When all the buns are filled, use a pastry brush to brush the top of the dough with the beaten egg.
6. Bake for 40 minutes until golden. Serve immediately.