Sweet Soft Taro-Filled Flatbread

My previous post of the savory pork filled pancake looks somewhat similar to this taro-filled flatbread, but they have completely different textures and different flavors, one being savory and one being sweet. This is a bing, where the dough on the outside is semi-crispy whilst the inside is soft and fluffy. It’s kind of a mix between a pancake and a flatbread, but there is really no English word to accurately describe what a “bing” is. Bings are typically seen in China and Taiwan, being sold as a street food, and are commonly stuffed with red bean paste, sesame paste, or custard. I have rarely seen taro paste in these types of bing, but taro is used in sweet breads, mooncakes, and pastries, so stuffing the taro in this bing was a great idea! So without further ado, I present you my recipe to this delicacy:

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 2 c. all purpose flour
• 3/4 c. warm milk
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp. cold coconut oil or any solid fat
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 c. sugar

For the filling:

• 500 g. taro
• 1/3 c. sugar
• 1/3 c. any flavorless oil

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl combine yeast, sugar, and warm milk and set aside for 10 min, until the mixture becomes bubbly.
2. In a large bowl combine flour and salt. Pour the yeast mixture into the flour and add the egg and coconut oil. Combine w/ hand or in a stand up mixer w/ dough hook for 10 min. until the dough is smooth and even. Cover with a damp cloth and place in a warm environment for 30 min.
3. Meanwhile, cut the taro root into chunks and steam until soft (around 20 min). Place the taro chunks into a food processor and process with sugar and oil. The taro paste should become smooth and pasty, easy to spread.
4. On a floured surface, roll out the dough into a log and cut into 12 equal parts and roll them into balls. Let the balls sit for 10 min.
5. For each ball, roll out into flat circle and paste about 1 tbsp. or more taro paste on the inside and pinch the middle. Place the pinched middles on the bottom and flatten the dough or roll with a rolling pin into a circular shape.
6. In a pan on medium heat, place the flatbreads in without oil- I fit 3 or 4 into each batch and place the lid on. Cook for about 7 min on each side until they are brown. After cooking each side, just flip back and forth to ensure the dough is cooked evenly. You can add a little bit of coconut oil while pan-frying if you would like.
7. Place the flatbreads on the cooling rack for about 3 min and enjoy them while hot!

I hope you enjoy making and eating these flatbreads! I couldn’t help myself and right after I made my batch of 12 flatbreads, I devoured 3 of them. (devouring 3 at once is not a good idea and I do not recommend it!!)

-Jamie