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Well, let me tell you, making these Chinese bakery buns ain’t all that hard, you see. Just like making bread back in the day, but with a little twist. First thing you gotta do is gather your ingredients. You need some flour, sugar, yeast, and water, just the basics. Don’t forget a pinch of salt! That’s important for the flavor.
Now, let’s get into it. You start by mixing about 4 cups of all-purpose flour in a big bowl. Then, take 1/4 cup of sugar and toss it in there, along with 1 packet of active dry yeast. You know, that little envelope you find in the store? Just sprinkle it on top. Give it a little stir so it all mixes up nice.
Next, you gotta warm up 1 1/2 cups of water until it’s nice and lukewarm, not too hot or it’ll kill the yeast. Pour that in the bowl with the dry stuff. Then, add about 1/2 cup of vegetable oil. Now, this is the fun part. Get your hands in there and mix it all together. Don’t be shy, just dive right in!
Once it’s all mixed up, you’ll have a sticky dough. Now, you wanna knead it. Sprinkle a little flour on your countertop, and turn that sticky mess out. Knead it for about 10 minutes. It should get smooth and elastic. If it’s too sticky, just add a bit more flour.
After you’ve kneaded it, put the dough in a clean bowl and cover it with a damp cloth. Let it sit in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until it doubles in size. This is when the magic happens, folks!
Once your dough has risen, punch it down to release the air. Then, divide it into smaller pieces, about the size of a golf ball. Roll each piece into a little ball. Now, you can fill them if you like. BBQ pork or red bean paste are popular choices. Just flatten the dough, put a spoonful of filling in the middle, and pinch it shut.
Now, you gotta let them rise again. Place the buns on a steamer lined with parchment paper, cover them up, and let them sit for another 30 minutes. This helps them get nice and fluffy.
While that’s happening, fill a pot with water and bring it to a boil. Once it’s boiling, place your steamer over the pot, making sure the water isn’t touching the buns. Cover and steam for about 15-20 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when they look puffed and shiny.
When they’re ready, take them off the heat and let them cool a bit. These buns are best eaten warm, but you can store them too. If you want to keep them, just pop them in an airtight container and they’ll last a couple of days. You can also freeze them for later, just remember to wrap them up tight!
So there you have it, a simple recipe for making those soft and tasty Chinese buns right at home. Just follow these steps, and you’ll be enjoying fresh buns in no time. Now, who’s ready to dig in?
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Tags：[Chinese Bakery, Buns Recipe, Homemade Buns, Steamed Buns, Easy Recipes]