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Chinese Steamed Buns




Source of Recipe


Internet


List of Ingredients




1/4 cup Sourdough Starter (OR 1 tbsp dry yeast + 1 tsp sugar + 1/4 cup flour + 1/4 cup water)
1/2 cup warm water / milk* (43*C / 110*F)
1 cup all-purpose white flour
1 tsp Baking Soda (add only if using sourdough starter)
1/4 tbsp salt
2 tbsp (1 oz) sugar
1 tbsp (1 oz) lard / vegetable oil
1 1/4 cups all-purpose white flour
1/2 tbsp Baking Powder
12 squared wax paper (5x5 cm)


1. If using sourdough starter, mix the first 3 ingredients together and let stand overnight. If using the alternative method (instead of sourdough
starter) like I do, mix the ingredients in bracket and let stand for 30 mins.

2. Mix in all other ingredients except Baking powder, knead until dough surface is smooth and elastic. Roll over a greased bowl and let stand
until triple in size, about 2.5-3 hours.

3. Punch down and spread dough out on a floured board, sprinkle baking powder evenly on surface and knead briefly for 5 minutes. Divide
dough into 2 parts, put one part into a bowl covered. Work with the other dough and divide into 12 parts. (total: 24 equal parts)

--> If making PLAIN STEAMED BUNS: Shape each part into a ball with smooth surface up. Put each on a wax paper. Place buns onto a
"steam-plate" (see note) with 1-2 inch apart. Let stand covered until double, about 30 mins. Boil a wok of water and put "steam-plate" on a
SMALL wire rack in the middle, cover wok with lid. (at least 2 inches space should be left between steam-plate and the wok). Steam over
boiling water for 15 mins on MEDIUM fire with wok lid covered. Steam batches by batches.


--> If making STEAMED BUNS WITH MEAT* (for meat and vegetable fillings- see below):

4. Shape each part into balls and roll out into a circle (like Won-Tun wrappers). Put 1 tablespoonful of prepared meat mixture in the center, wrap
around and place seams down onto wax paper.

5. Repeat with other parts. Let stand on "steam-plate" until doubled, about 30 mins. Steam over boiling water on MEDIUM FIRE with wok lid
covered for 15 –20 mins.

*NB: 1. Chinese buns are never sour nor bitter. Since the sourness of sourdough is hard to balance with baking soda, (though Chinese
restaurant dim-sum chefs can easily do so), I prefer the alternative method (in bracket) using dry yeast.

2. Remember (i) to leave at least 1 inch space between each buns. And (ii) to steam buns over MEDIUM FIRE with wok lid covered. (iii)
Always REMOVE LID BEFORE you turn off fire, or else, water will drip back onto bun surface and produce yellowish "blisters" on bun
surfaces. All these are important in attributing to silky WHITE buns.

3. "Steam-plate" is a round rimless stainless-steel surface with about 0.5 cm diameter holes all over the surface. It is VERY essential in
steaming dim-sum (especially Siew-Mai, shrimp dumplings, etc.), as it allows good steam circulations between buns and excess water to
drip back into wok. This I guess will be available in any kitchenware store in America. If you really can’t find it, you *COULD* use a
normal plate instead but I do doubt it….


Meat & vegetable Fillings Variations: (For 1 steamed bun recipe)
**************************************
1. Pork and vegetable Fillings:

225g (8oz) minced pork, beef or lamb meat (meat is best half fat and half flesh for its tenderness)
120 g shrimp flesh, deshelled and minced (Optional)
1 lb Bak-Choi, chopped into very small bits [OR 150g pickled sour vegetable, chopped]
1 tbsp salt
50g (2 stalks) Chinese green onions
1 tbsp finely-diced ginger


--Seasoning:--
1/2 tbsp salt
1 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Rice Wine / Xiao Hing Wine (Optional)
1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp sugar
pinch of pepper
2 –3 tbsp water / chicken stock (to be added last)

Finely chop Bak-Choi (sorry I didn’t experiment with other vegetable, actually would be quite weird with other
vegies like Celery, but you COULD if you can’t find this) into very very small bits. Sprinkle 1 tbsp salt over and
let mix, let stand and drain out excess water. Mix all the seasonings and minced meat together thoroughly, mix in
drained Bak-Choi and lastly water / chicken stock. Mix thoroughly, put in freezer for 2 hours OR best in fridge
overnight to firm up and flavours to blend in.


2. BBQ Pork ("Char-Siu") Fillings: (to make "Char-Siu Bau")

1/2 lb (225g) BBQ pork, already marinated with BBQ sauce
30g shallots, chopped
1.5 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/3 cup chicken stock /water
1 tbsp Dark / Light Soy Sauce (dark is better)
1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp sugar

Chop Pork. Mix together all the ingredients and put in fridge, covered, for at least 6 hours.



Recipe