Nothing more delightful than a savoury and fluffy Mini Otah Bun, perfect for any time of the day! I absolutely love snacking on Otah Buns, but there’s always an issue of having too much bun and too little otah. This problem is now solved with these Mini Otah Buns, and I always make an effort to spread as much Otah as I can!

By the way, Otah is a popular Southeast Asian dish made primarily from fish paste, mixed in with a variety of species and coconut milk. The texture is slightly soft and it is fragrant, spicy and savoury, making it a perfect topping for the lightly sweet and fluffy buns!

A method I swear by in making soft and fluffy buns is the use of Tangzhong, also known as Water Roux. Mix a few ingredients to gelatinise the flour which allows it to hold more moisture, and improve the bread’s texture. In fact, this method allows the bread to remain soft and fluffy for days! Some of my most well-received recipes including my Chocolate Chip Milk Buns and Butter Sugar Rolls utilises this method, and it is life-changing!

After you are done with the bread dough, it is all about giving these Mini Otah Buns their authentic flavours and you can do so through the use of Pandan leaves. Learning from our local bakeries, I wrapped each bun with a small, clean pandan leaf, secured with the tip of a toothpick. Doing so will require some patience, especially to measure each pandan leave. I would also recommend for you to add as much Otah, and complementary ingredients including salt, pepper, spices and even cheese for a richer flavour.

I would also like to put in a word of encouragement here that practice makes perfect in creating the best Mini Otah Bun, especially in wrapping the leaves. Once you get the hang of it, it should be done in no time. However, for the maximal amount of success, I recommend that you start preparing these materials (cleaned pandan leaves and toothpick tips) while the bread is proofing the first round.

These Mini Otah Buns are sure to be worth the effort, and are perfect for any gathering such as my local-flavoured Christmas platter.

Without further ado, the recipe!

Mini Otah Buns Recipe
by Javier Tan December-18-2024

These flavourful, savoury and bite-sized Mini Otah Buns boast authentic flavours that are sure to keep you wanting to go more!

Ingredients

For Tangzhong / Water Roux:

  • 3 Tablespoon + 1 Teaspoon or 50ml Water
  • 3 Tablespoons or 45ml Milk
  • 2 Tablespoons or 18g Bread Flour, Sifted

For Buns:

  • 2 and 3/4 Cups or 345g Bread Flour
  • 1/4 Cup + 1 Tablespoons or 60g Granulated White Sugar
  • 3/4 Teaspoon or 4g Table Salt
  • 1 and 1/2 Teaspoons or 7g Instant Dry Yeast
  • A Large Egg, Room Temperature, 55g each
  • 1/4 Cup or 60g Unsalted Butter, Melted
  • All that was made Water Roux / Tangzhong
  • 1/2 Cup + 3 Tablespoon or 165g Milk, Room Temp

For Buns (Topping):

  • At least 200g Otah
  • 14 – 18 Pandan Leaves + Toothpick Tips
  • 1 Egg, for egg wash

Instructions

  1. Firstly, prepare the Water Roux / Tangzhong by mixing the 3 ingredients at low heat. Stir until you form a sticky, slightly thickened gel.
  2. Then, cover the tangzhong and leave to cool for 5 mins.
  3. Meanwhile, mix Bread Flour, Sugar, and Salt together in a large bowl. Next, distribute the yeast throughout the ingredients.
  4. Then, add in the cooled melted butter, milk, tangzhong and egg and mix well for a couple of mins at high speed or to knead until it forms a clumpy wet mixture.
  5. Once the bread comes together, knead well for another 6 – 7 at medium high speed. Once done, the dough will no longer stick to the bowl and it will pass the windowpane test. [Note: if it is too sticky, you can consider adding up to 20g of flour]
  6. Transfer the dough to a large bowl and sprinkle some water on top of the dough. Next, Cover it with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and proof for 50 mins.
  7. Thereafter, poke a hole at the center of the dough to release the excess air.
  8. Next, portion and shape into 18 equal balls of dough (approx 35g each).
  9. Transfer the little balls of dough into your baking tray lined with parchment paper then cover and proof for another 20 minutes. During the first 10 minutes, press in the otah and wrap each mini bun with a pandan leaf, secured with the toothpick tip. Apply egg wash.
  10. Pre-heat your oven at 180C once it’s nearly done, and bake for 19 – 23 minutes (I took 20) till golden brown.
  11. Serve and enjoy!

Details

  • Prep time:
  • Cook time:
  • Total time:
  • Yield: 18 Delicious Mini Otah Buns

Notes:

  1. If you would like to be updated for more recipes which I strive to create to perfection for sharing and for free, do check out my Instagram, Facebook Page, or YouTube 🙂 Thank you so much for all of your support! Feel free to tag me or link back here!
  2. Best eaten within 2 days.
  3. Feel free to ask if you need help!

Enjoy!
– Bakeomaniac, Javier Tan