Easy Steamed Buns

This simple recipe will produce seven buns. They will all fit in a single layer of a standard bamboo steamer tray. The buns will be proofed, steamed and served in the bamboo steamer. I try to use ready-made fillers instead of making bun fillings from scratch. Doing this reduces preparation time and minimizes the clean-up effort. Traditionally, these buns are made with Chinese BBQ pork, or a sweet (red or black) bean paste filling; both items are usually available in Asian grocery stores. When I do not have BBQ pork or sweet bean paste readily available, I have used peanut butter or hot dogs instead. Feel free to try any sweet or savory filling of your choice.

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INGREDIENTS

• Seven MINI-sized cupcake liners (or small squares of parchment paper) for completed buns

DOUGH

• 2 cups (240 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• ¼ cup (60 grams) boiling water
• ⅓ cup (85 grams) tap water
• ½ teaspoon yeast

FILLING

• 1 tablespoon peanut butter per bun (or hot dog or sweet bean paste or Chinese BBQ pork)

INSTRUCTIONS

MAKE THE DOUGH
Mix 2 cups of flour and one tablespoon sugar in a medium bowl. Stir ¼ cup of boiling water into the flour mixture to create little paste pellets. Create a small well in the flour-paste pellet mixture and fill with one-third cup of tap water and ½ teaspoon yeast. Stir to mix the water and yeast, then continue stirring to create a shaggy dough mass. Knead the dough just enough to form a smooth dough ball. This should only take a minute or two. Roll dough into log and divide into seven somewhat equal pieces (use scale if desired). Form seven rough ball shapes and let rest covered for 10 minutes.

SHAPE AND FILL THE BUNS
Make a tight dough ball and flatten/roll into a circle shape about 2 ½ to 3 inches in diameter. Try to make the outside edges thinner than the center. Add a tablespoon or so of filling to the center of the dough and form a satchel with the dough. Make pleats and twist closed. Place bun twist-side down on a mini-sized cupcake liner or parchment. Place into steamer basket. Repeat for the other buns. I used peanut butter for some buns and hot dogs for others to show that most any filling will work. Traditionally, these buns are made with a BBQ pork or a Sweet Bean Paste filling.

PROOF AND STEAM THE BUNS
Once the seven buns are shaped, place the covered steamer basket into an unheated oven along with a pan of hot water. Close the door and proof for 1 hour. Leave the oven light on if you want. At the end of the hour, use the poke test check to see if proofing is adequate. If the dough springs back slowly after it is poked, it’s adequately proofed and ready to be steamed. Place the steamer basket over a pot of water; bring to a rolling boil over medium high heat and steam buns for 12 -14 minutes. Remove from heat; let steamer cool for a couple minutes before uncovering.

Serve Buns warm.