Name: Sambal Ikan Bilis Buns
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 3 h
Cuisine: Malaysian
Ingredients: 100 g dried anchovies, washed and drained; 2 medium onion, cut half and sliced thinly; 1 tsp of lime juice; Salt to taste; Sugar to taste; Cooking oil (enough to fry the paste ingredients); Water; 80g (8) shallots, peeled; 2 cloves garlic; 1 lemongrass; 1” fresh ginger; 3 red chillies; 1 tbsp of chilli boh (dried chilli paste); 210g bread flour (I used Japan High Gluten Flour); 1/4 round tsp (1.2g) instant dried yeast; 1/4 tsp sugar; 135g water; 210g bread flour (I used Japan High Gluten Flour); 1/2 round tsp (2g) instant yeast; 3 tbsp (30g) brown sugar; 1 ½ (7g) tsp salt; 50g whisked egg (from 1 large egg); 90g milk (reserve 10g and add in the balance if needed); 35g butter; 1 egg + 1 Tbsp water, whisked; Some raw ikan bilis (anchovies); 2 baking trays, lined with parchment paper

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This Sambal Ikan Bilis Buns (Spicy Paste Anchovies Buns) reminded me of childhood time. I used to buy Sambal Ikan Bilis Buns from my school's canteen. Old dough method produce very soft and aromatic bread. It goes so well with Sambal Ikan Bilis.

I used pâte fermentée (pre-fermented dough in French) or sometimes called "old dough" to make this soft and flavourful bread. Traditionally, bread makers take a portion of the bread dough made and save it overnight for next day baking. I made it from scratch since I did not have any ready old dough. With this method, the bread is more flavourful and aromatic due to the higher acidity and fermentation gasses produced during the slow fermentation.

Please click on Bread Making Method to understand more details.

If you have any questions regarding this recipe or any other post, please leave me a comment in the “LEAVE A COMMENT” link and I will reply you as soon as possible. Do tag me on Instagram @Bakewithpaws if you attempt on this recipe.

How To Make Sambal Ikan Bilis Buns (Spicy Paste Anchovies Buns)

Yields: 10 Buns

INGREDIENTS

SAMBAL IKAN BILIS

100 g dried anchovies, washed and drained

2 medium onion, cut half and sliced thinly

1 tsp of lime juice

Salt to taste

Sugar to taste

Cooking oil (enough to fry the paste ingredients)

Water

Sambal Paste Ingredients (to be finely ground) -

80g (8) shallots, peeled

2 cloves garlic

1 lemongrass

1” fresh ginger

3 red chillies

10g dried red chillies, soaked in hot water until soft, seeded and drained.

Some water if needed

BUNS

Old Dough:
210g bread flour (I used Japan High Gluten Flour)
1/4 round tsp (1.2g) instant dried yeast

1/4 tsp sugar
135g water

Main Dough:
210g bread flour (I used Japan High Gluten Flour)

1/2 round tsp (2g) instant yeast
3 tbsp (30g) brown sugar
1 ½ (7g) tsp salt
50g whisked egg (from 1 large egg)
90g milk (reserve 10g and add in the balance if needed)
35g butter

Egg wash:

1 egg + 1 Tbsp water, whisked

Utensil:

2 baking trays, lined with parchment paper

METHOD

Sambal Ikan Bilis:

Blend all the sambal paste ingredients using the food processor. Add some water if needed.
Heat up oil in a wok or pan. Add ikan bilis and fry until golden brown and crispy. Drain and set aside.
You can also use Air Fryer - Coated Ikan Bilis with very little oil and fry with Air Fryer until crispy and golden brown (160C for 10 to 15 mins). You can deep fried the ikan bilis in a wok. Set aside.
Heat cooking oil in a wok, add paste ingredients. Stir fry till fragrant.
Add sliced onions and some water, cook until soft.
Add in fried Ikan Bilis, then add in lime juice, some water and add salt and sugar to taste.
Simmer in low heat and cook until liquid is reduced. Add more water if too dry. Anyway, we do not want too much liquid as it will be hard to wrap.
Remove from wok and keep aside.

For the Old Dough:

Combine water, yeast and sugar in a mixing bowl. Then mix in bread flour and knead with your hand for few minutes until smooth. Roll into a ball and place in a greased bowl. Cover with cling film and let it prove for 1 hour in a warm and dark place.
After 1 hour, place into the refrigerator overnight for at least 12 hours or up to 16 hours. The next morning, take out the old dough from refrigerator to return to room temperature 30 minutes before using.
If you don't plan to bake the next day, after 1 hour fermentation, shape it into a ball and wrap it in cling wrap or place it in a ziplock bag. Store it in the freezer for 1-2 months. Take it out 30 minutes before using to defrost.

Kneading Main Dough For Buns:

Put all ingredients (start with salt, flour, yeast, sugar, butter, egg, fresh milk, and old dough) into the bowl of stand mixer. Using the dough hook on a stand mixer, knead until the dough comes together, become elastic and tacky but not sticky. Tacky dough behaves sort of like a Post-it note, sticking to a surface but peeling off easily. It takes around 12 - 15 minutes at medium speed. If the dough is too dry, add 1 teaspoon of milk at a time.

1st Proofing:

Let the dough rise in a warm place for 60 minutes or until double in size in a large greased bowl, covered with cling film or kitchen towel.

Shaping:

Punch down the dough to release the air. Transfer the dough to a clean floured surface then divide into 10 equal portions.
Shape each dough into a ball. Rest for 10 minutes to relax the dough.
Flatten the dough and roll into a flat circle. Spoon in 1 tablespoon of sambal ikan bilis in the centre, wrap and seal. Shape the bun into an oval shape.
Place the buns onto the prepared baking pan, about 2 inch apart.

Final Proofing:

Let it rise for another 45 - 60 minutes or until about double in size.

Baking:

Preheat the oven to 180C - 190C for about 15 minutes.
Brush with egg wash and top with some ikan bilis.
Bake at preheated oven for 15 – 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Remove bun from oven and let them cool on rack.

GENERAL NOTES:

GLUTEN DEVELOPMENT & WINDOWPANE TEST

Gluten forms when flour comes in contact with water. Hydration of the flour causes the sticky and stretchy protein to form, giving structure to the bread. This makes your bread trap air and rise.

Gluten in dough can be developed by autolyse, resting, kneading or folding.

The windowpane test is used to determine whether the dough has been sufficiently kneaded. By gently pulling the dough (or you may pinch off some dough) and trying to stretch it into a thin membrane. If you are able to stretch the dough paper thin and translucent without tearing, then the gluten is fully developed. However, if you can stretch it without tearing but the membrane is not transparent, then the gluten is not yet fully developed.

However, from my experience not all the recipe can achieve a thin and translucent window pane stage easily. For example low hydration and low fat dough. For such recipes, a reasonable window pane is good enough and it can be left to rest. Gluten will continue to develop while resting. Exercising restraint to not over-knead the dough prevents the gluten from being overworked and broken. Some of you may have experienced the dough breaking during the second proofing. It is because the dough is over kneaded.

The total kneading time for me is usually 15 minutes at low speeds except brioche dough with high fat percentage or dough using liquid fat which usually takes a little longer (maybe 18-20 mins).

From my experience, I found that high hydration dough with high percentage of fat will be easy to stretch and achieve a paper thin windowpane stage.

KNEADING TIME

For kneading, please regard the timing provided as an indication only. It is only meant as a guide. Timing may differ depending on the brand of flour and electric mixer used. The protein content may vary from one brand of flour to another.

FLOUR
The right flour plays a very important role in bread making. To achieve fluffy, soft and light bread, I used Japan High Gluten Flour in most of my bread baking. The protein content is around 12 - 13%.

HYDRATION

The liquid measurement given is also a guide. It is advisable to always reserve some liquid and not add it all in one go. This would give you the opportunity to adjust if necessary. If dough is too dry, add the reserve liquid one tablespoon at a time until the right consistency. This is because each flour absorbs water and hydrates differently.

PROOFING

Please note that the proofing timing may also vary depending on your climate and environment. The humidity and temperature at your place will influence how dough rises.

If you are unable to judge by just looking at the dough, you can do the finger poke test:

First Proofing:

Lightly flour or oil your finger or knuckle, gently poke in the centre of the dough then remove your finger. If it bounces back immediately without any indentation then it needs more time.
If the indentation stays and it doesn’t bounce back or if the dough collapses, then the it is over proved.
If it bounces back just a little, then the dough is ready to be punched down and shaping.

Second Proofing:

Lightly press the side of the proved dough with your finger. If it bounces back immediately without any indentation, it means the dough is under proved and needs more time before baking.
If the indentation stays and it doesn’t bounce back, it means it has been over proved.
If the indentation slowly bounces back and leave a small indentation, it is ready to bake.
There will be a final burst of rising once the bread is placed to bake in the oven and it is called oven spring.

WRINKLE TOP OR SHRINKING

If your bread collapses or gets wrinkled on top after removing from oven, it could be because your dough over proved during the second proofing. Please proof until it rises 80 - 90% in size or is slightly below the rim of the pan.

BAKING TEMPERATURE & TIME

Do also note that the baking temperature and timing provided are what works for my oven and should also be regarded as a guide only. Every oven behaves a little differently, so please adjust accordingly for your oven.