Tips I learned from various experts online about making buns:
1. Use warm water to mix the flour.
2. Let the dough rest at least twice.
3. Once the buns are made, let the dough rest for the third time, for at least 20-30 min.
4. When steaming buns, always start with cold water. Start steaming on hot water will ruin the buns.
5. If pressed for time, or in Winter, can rest the dough in warm oven, or rest the dough container on top of boiling/hot water (like a double boiler).
6. How to know when to stop kneading the dough? When the dough does not stick to anything, especially your hand.
7. Buns dough will look rougher than dumpling dough, no need to overwork it.
8. Hmm, what else? Can't remember...
Ingredients I used today:
1. Plain flour 500g
2. Dry yeast 2 teaspoons
3. Warm water 1 cup
4. Pork mince approx. 200g
5. Prawns - 5
6. Shallots
7. Egg - 1
8. Black fungus - 1 handful
9. Soy sauce, chicken powder, sesame oil
Sauce (optional) separate:
1. Chinese black vinegar
2. Soy sauce and sesame oil infused sliced garlic
Steps:
1. Mix plain flour, yeast, and warm water. Normally 500g of flour will need 2 teaspoons of yeast. Knead for about 10 min or until everything is mixed and non-sticky. If too sticky, add more flour. Adjust the dough consistency by touch. Normally 500g needs something less than a cup of water.
2. Rest the dough - twice. Should puff up at least 3-4 times.
3. Work on the fillings. Use anything you like, e.g. pork, beef, vegetables. Flavor with e.g. salt, soy sauce, sesame oil, pepper, cooking wine, etc etc. Add an egg, and stir in one direction till the fillings get gummy and stick together. Make sure the filling is not watery.
4. Cut/tear the dough into small balls. Flatten the balls with rolling pin/hand. The round sheet should be slightly thicker in the middle.
5. Fill the round sheet with filling. Seal the bun.
6. Rest the buns for 20-30 mins.
7. Start steaming. Start from cold water, not boiling water. Steaming time depends on size of steamer and buns. Normally 15-20 min after the water starts to boil.
8. Om nom nom nom nom.....
Comments:
1. This is different from Hong Kong yumcha style BBQ pork buns. This seems much healthier. BBQ pork buns uses a lot of oil and sugar in the dough itself. This Northern Chinese style buns' dough is made out of simply plain flour, yeast, and warm water.
2. My bun-sealing skill needs improvement, buns still look ugly. My skills only come from youtube, sob sob. Hmm, need more practice.
