Nikuman (Steamed Pork Buns)

Name: Nikuman (Steamed Pork Buns)
Yield: 12 buns
Ingredients: 3/4 cup warm water (200 ml); 1/3 cup sugar (60 grams); 1 tablespoon dry yeast; 2 1/2 cups cake flour (300 grams); 3/4 cup bread flour (100 grams); 1 tablespoon baking powder; Pinch salt; 1 tablespoon oil; 7 –10 oz ground pork (200–300 grams); 1 onion; 3 dried shiitake mushrooms; 1.75 oz bamboo shoots (50 grams); 1 tablespoon grated ginger; 2 tablespoons potato starch (or cornstarch); 2 tablespoons soy sauce; 2 tablespoons sake (or dry sherry); 1 tablespoon oyster sauce; (2 teaspoons sugar if you don't have oyster sauce); Salt and pepper, to taste; 2 tablespoons sesame oil

AMAsan777 @cook_40348715

These are delicious steamed pork buns with a dough recipe learned from a Chinese friend and slightly adapted.
Recipe background:
I learned this from a Chinese friend and made a few adjustments.

AMAsan777 @cook_40348715

These are delicious steamed pork buns with a dough recipe learned from a Chinese friend and slightly adapted.
Recipe background:
I learned this from a Chinese friend and made a few adjustments.

Saved

Ingredients

12 buns

Dough
a
3/4 cupwarm water (200 ml)
1/3 cupsugar (60 grams)
1 tablespoondry yeast
b
2 1/2 cupscake flour (300 grams)
3/4 cupbread flour (100 grams)
1 tablespoonbaking powder
Pinchsalt
1 tablespoonoil
Filling
7–10 oz ground pork (200–300 grams)
1onion
3dried shiitake mushrooms
1.75 ozbamboo shoots (50 grams)
1 tablespoongrated ginger
2 tablespoonspotato starch (or cornstarch)
2 tablespoonssoy sauce
2 tablespoonssake (or dry sherry)
1 tablespoonoyster sauce
(2 teaspoons sugar if you don't have oyster sauce)
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoonssesame oil

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Steps

1

Combine 1/2 cup hot water with 1/2 cup cold water to make 3/4 cup warm water (about 200 ml), warm enough to touch but not hot.
2

Add 1/3 cup sugar (60 grams) to the warm water and stir to dissolve. Sprinkle in 1 tablespoon dry yeast and mix. Let sit for about 5 minutes to activate the yeast.
3

In a large bowl, mix all the B ingredients. Add the activated A mixture. Start mixing roughly with chopsticks or a spoon.
4

Knead the dough by hand in the bowl until it comes together.
5

Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, no longer sticky and stretches easily.
6

Shape the dough into a ball, return it to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour (about 104°F/40°C for 60 minutes).
7

Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in water until rehydrated, then finely chop. Finely chop the onion and bamboo shoots as well.
8

Heat sesame oil in a pan and lightly sauté the onion, shiitake mushrooms, and bamboo shoots with a little salt and pepper (not included in ingredient list) until just softened.
9

In a bowl, mix the ground pork with all seasonings except the potato starch.
10

Add the cooled sautéed vegetables to the pork, then sprinkle in 2 tablespoons potato starch and mix everything together.
11

When the dough has doubled in size, remove it from the bowl.
12

Shape the dough into a ring (like a donut).
13

Tear the ring into two equal pieces by hand.
14

Tear one piece into 6 equal pieces by hand (for a total of 12 pieces).
15

With the torn side facing up, flatten each piece by hand.
16

Roll out the edges of each piece to make them thinner than the center.
17

Roll out all the pieces. Place them separately so they don't overlap and the surface dries slightly (this helps prevent the meat juices from soaking into the dough when steaming).
18

Divide the filling into 12 portions and wrap each in a piece of dough.
19

Poke holes in parchment paper and line the steamer tray. Place the buns on the tray, leaving space between them to allow for expansion.
20

Place the buns in a steamer over boiling water and steam over medium heat for 15 minutes.
21

After 15 minutes, turn off the heat and let the buns rest with the lid on for at least 5 minutes before opening (opening the lid too soon may cause the buns to collapse).