Tangzhong

It is a baking technique of Japanese origin, although it is widely used throughout East Asia. It is a mixture of water and flour, cooked to form a thick paste, which is then incorporated into the rest of the dough ingredients. This paste is known as water roux or water starter.

This method involves cooking part of the flour with water or milk (a ratio of approximately 1:5, respectively) until a porridge texture is obtained. In doing so, the starches in the flour gelatinize, allowing more water to be retained during the cooking process. This results in softer, moister breads and buns with a longer shelf life.

The method is quite popular in the production of soft and fluffy breads, such as Hokkaido milk bread or Asian flatbread.