Mohor (Steamed Sweet Potato Buns)

When I was a kid I loved mohor. I loved the sweet and yeasty smell of this steamed bun. My grandaunts made Nyonya kueh as a vocation and this was one of their specialties.

Traditionally, the mohor is made with white sweet potatoes and I decided to jazz things up a bit by using the orange colored one. You could use the purple sweet potato too but be sure to use only half portion of purple to half portion of white. Why? Simply because the purple sweet potato has a much stronger smell and it will be too overwhelming.

This kueh is very easy to make as it has only 5 ingredients - flour, egg, sugar, sweet potatoes and yeast. Your special equipments would be 12 small moulds, a steamer and an ice cream scoop (or use two spoons).

This recipe is courtesy of my Aunt who also taught me the method.

Mohor (Steamed Sweet Potato Buns)

Ingredients :

- 200 grams plain flour

- 1 large egg (I used 2 eggs)

- 160 grams fine sugar (I reduced to 120 grams)

- 230 grams sweet potato (skinned, cubed and cooked before weighing)

- 1 soup spoon fresh yeast (recipe here)

Equipments :

- 12 small moulds (I used teacups, oiled)

- Steamer

- Ice cream scoop to scoop batter or use two spoons

- Tongs to remove hot moulds from steamer

For quick method using instant yeast :
2 teaspoons instant yeast
50grams plain flour
Warm water

Method :
- Mix flour, yeast and water to form a paste.
- Leave to rise until double in volume.
- Use this in place of fresh yeast.

Method :

1. Boil the sweet potatoes until soft and mash. Leave to cool.

2. In a mixing bowl, add yeast, eggs and sugar. Mix until well combined.

3. Add mashed sweet potatoes and mix well.

4. Add flour and gently mix until well combined. Do not over mix.

5. Cover and leave to rise for about 8 hours (if you use instant yeast time taken will be shorter) or until dough had tripled in volume.

6. When dough has risen, give it a stir (it will deflate) and cover for one hour for it to rise again.

7. Oil your moulds so that it will be easier to remove the mohor after it is steamed.

8. Using an ice cream scoop or two spoons, scoop the batter into the mould until 3/4 full.

9. Steam for 10 to 12 minutes. The mohor should "smile" i.e. split when it is cooked.

Update (I was reminded of this after Wendy's comment) :
This mohor is great dipped in fresh grated coconut. Mix fresh grated coconut with sugar and salt. Dip the mohor into the coconut as and when you eat. My mother likes it like that :)

I was told that the mohor is cooked when it "smiles", that is the top will split into 3. Some of my moho didn't smile but upon testing they were cooked. Maybe using the ice cream scoop made the dough more compact and that's why it didn't smile (???).

Peel and cube sweet potatoes.

Boil until soft and drain.

Mix yeast, eggs and sugar.

Add mashed sweet potatoes and mix well.

Add flour and gently combine. Do not over mix.

Cover with another mixing bowl and leave to rise for about 8 hours (if you use instant yeast time taken will be shorter) or until dough triples in volume.