These Steamed Pork Buns are easy to make and are delicious anytime of year, especially for Lunar New Year.
This recipe came from a dear friend, Tola, who also gave me this amazing Asian Marinade recipe. I adjusted it a bit for my family’s tastes and for my laziness to drive cross town to the Asian Market.
She uses a ready made mix for the bun dough. But, you probably need to get it at a specialty market since I didn’t see it in the Asian Food Aisle of my supermarket. So, I used the recipe in Ming Tsai’s Blue Ginger cookbook.
I also couldn’t find the Chinese sausage. So, I went with some linguisa so I can make some Portuguese Beans with Linguisa another day.
There is no way my husband and son would go for the boiled egg inside. So, I made a few for me with egg, and left them out of the rest.
Easy Steamed Pork Buns: fluffy dough stuffed with flavorful pork and mushrooms with optional sausage and eggs. Perfect for Lunar New Year
- 3/4 cups water
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons yeast 1 package
- 3 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons lard or shortening melted
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1/3 cup wood ear fungus or shitake finely chopped
- 1/3 cup onions finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 3 boiled eggs cut into quarters
- 1/4 poined Chinese sausage cut in 12 slices
- Add sugar and yeast to the warm water and let it sit for 5-10 minutes to get foamy on top (I use the measuring cup – one less thing to wash!). If it does not foam, your yeast is bad and the dough will not rise.
- In a food processor combine flour, lard/shortening and yeast mixture. Blend until dough forms a ball.
- On a floured board knead dough until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Divide dough into 12 balls.
- Combine all filling ingredients. And divide into 12 portions.
- Roll a ball of dough into a 2-3″ circle with hands. Add one portion of pork filling, 1/4 of an egg and a slice of sausage.
- Pull dough edges to the top to surround the filling and pinch to close.
- Place dough seam side down on a piece of parchment paper and place in a bamboo steamer with room for the buns to expand (about 4 per steamer tray). Repeat with all buns.
- Cover with a towel and let rise until buns are doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Steam buns for 30 minutes.
If you need more Lunar New Year inspiration, check out our Pinterest Board.
Follow That Recipe’s board Chinese New Year on Pinterest.
Looks delicious! If I don’t have a steamer, is there an alternate way of cooking them?
Wendy, you had me stumped for a minute, until Google to the rescue.
Instead of the inexpensive bamboo steamer I have (that I use for storing potatoes when I am not cooking with it), you can use:
– a metal colander in a stock pot (if it fits)
– or wad up 3 balls of aluminum foil and place in the bottom of your pot, add water to the bottom of the pot and place a heat proof plate on top of the foil then the buns (or tamales or vegetables) on top of the plate.
For steaming all you need is water in the bottom of the pot, something for the food to rest on out of the water and then close it with a lid so the food steams and doesn’t boil.
What a fun recipe for the Chinese New Year! And they sound so filling 🙂 Thanks so much for hosting!
I have been nibbling on them all week. YUMMY!
Audrey, I love Chinese steamed buns, and yours look lovely!
I was really pleased with my first attempt. I may need to make more this week.
Those look so yummy – what a great treat! #HomeMattersParty
Thanks, Jamie.
This recipe looks fantastic! Pinning and saving it. Visiting as your fellow co-host from the #HomeMattersParty
Thanks, Jeanne!
You know, Dim Sum buns like this always get me excited, but then disappoint me when I eat them because they always seem to be all doughy and empty. I never thought of making some myself, though – then I could pack them full of all sorts of goodies!
I agree, I would definitely try to make them fuller next time.
These look so perfect! Great shaping technique on the dough!
These look like they came from a restaurant! Perfect! I bet they are delicious, too.
Audrey, these look amazing! I love the tips you gave a reader for steaming them without the bamboo basket too!
What a great bite for a New Year’s party! My family would love these!
These look so good! A great recipe to make on a weekend when I have a little extra time to spend in the kitchen!!!
These look like the perfect little appetizer!
I’ve always wanted to do a Chinese New Year dinner with my kids. This will be perfect!