How to make delicious vegetarian steamed buns with filling simply at home

How to make Vegetarian Buns

• 1

  Soaking the Yeast

  Put one teaspoon of dry yeast into 150 ml of fresh milk, and use a spoon to stir well. Then cover the milk tightly with a wrap for about 5 minutes to let the yeast rise.

  If the fresh milk has been stored in the refrigerator, you should heat it slightly on the stove to warm it up. When the milk is cold, the yeast will not rise. Do not boil the milk, as boiling will kill the yeast, and you won’t be able to make the buns.

  
• 2

  Kneading the Dough

  Once the yeast is active, open the plastic wrap and start kneading the dough.

  Put 400 grams of flour into a large bowl, making a small hole in the center of the flour. Stir the yeast well and pour it into the hole you just made. Mix it evenly and then knead the dough with your hands thoroughly.

  If you have a dough mixer, you can put the flour in and knead the dough. Kneading with a machine will be faster and save more time than kneading by hand.

  Knead the dough well for about 10 minutes; the longer you knead, the chewier and tastier the finished buns will be. After kneading, shape the dough into a round ball, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and let it rise for about 1 hour.

  

  
• 3

  Prepare the filling ingredients

  • Soak dried wood ear mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms in water for 3 – 4 hours until they expand. After soaking, use a knife to slice shiitake mushrooms thinly, and chop the wood ear mushrooms into small cubes.
  • Wash the onion and chop it into small cubes.
  • Grate the cassava and carrot into thin strands. Then, place the grated cassava into a cloth bag or clean cloth, squeeze it thoroughly and discard the water. Do the same for the grated carrot.
  • Wash the fried tofu, cut it into thin strips or you can dice it if you prefer.
  • Wash the green onions and chop them finely. Peel the garlic and mince it.
  • Wash the cilantro with water and let it drain.

  

  

  

  
• 4

  Make the filling

  Place a pan on the stove with a little cooking oil, heat the oil and add garlic to sauté until fragrant.

  When the garlic turns golden and fragrant, add all the onions and stir-fry. Mix well to let the garlic and onion aroma blend together.

  Once the garlic and onion are fragrant, add all the ingredients including shiitake mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, grated cassava, grated carrots, and tofu to stir-fry.

  Add 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, and 2 teaspoons of seasoning powder to the pot, and stir well to let the seasoning absorb completely into the filling mixture. Stir-fry over medium heat for 3 minutes.

  After 3 minutes, reduce the heat, add green onions and cornstarch to the mixture. Stir-fry until the cornstarch is cooked, then turn off the heat.

  When the filling cools down a bit, proceed to the step of shaping the filling. Wear gloves and tightly roll the filling into round balls. Shape the filling to the desired size until all the filling is used up.

  

  

  

  
• 5

  Shaping the buns

  After 1 hour of dough fermentation, you open the plastic wrap and knead the dough for about 3 minutes to ensure it is smooth.

  Place the dough on the table, roll it out evenly to elongate it, and divide it into equal parts corresponding to the number of fillings you have prepared.

  Use a rolling pin to flatten the dough into thin, round shapes. Then, place the filling in the center of the dough and gather the dough together. Pinch the dough tightly to ensure that the seams are well sealed.

  Form the buns into a nice round shape and place them in a mold to shape the buns.

  Press the buns tightly into the steamer mold. Next, place a piece of parchment paper at the bottom of the bun. Flip it over and gently tap the mold to release the bun. Repeat this process until all the filling is used up.

  Note:

  • Before shaping, you should brush a thin layer of oil on the mold. Doing this will make the shaping process and removing the buns easier.

  • If you don’t have a mold, you can shape them by hand, but make sure to pinch them firmly so that the skin doesn’t burst during steaming.

  

  

  
• 6

  Steaming Buns

  After shaping the dough, place it in the steamer, lightly attach a small piece of cilantro leaf on top of each bun for a more appealing look. Cover and let the buns rest for 15 minutes before steaming them.

  Once the buns have rested, steam them. Steam the buns for 15 minutes and then turn off the heat. The freshly steamed buns can be served immediately.

  For each steamer, it is advisable to steam about 4 buns at a time. Avoid steaming too many at once, as they may stick together, affecting their appearance.

  

  
• 7

  Final Product

  The finished vegetarian buns have a mild aroma, look appealing, and the filling is just right with a soft and chewy dough that will stimulate your appetite. These buns can be used as a substitute on days when you are tired of rice or as a light snack.