Chinese "Steamed" Buns

Prep/cook time: 45 minutes

Makes: 8 buns

Buns:

1tsp yeast

1 cup warm water

2 cups flour

2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp vegetable oil

Filling:

2tbsp vegetable oil

2tbsp sugar

2tbsp wine vinegar 

2tbsp soy sauce 

1tbsp grated ginger

1tsp cayenne

2 stalks celery, diced

1 bell pepper, diced

3 small carrots, diced

1 recipe seitan (optional)

Dissolve yeast in water. Mix in the other ingredients (I used a fork and then my hand; the original recipe called for an electric mixer). Knead. 

Leave dough for 5 minutes. Then roll it with a rolling pin (we used a bottle because we didn’t have one) on a lightly floured surface into 40cm by 25cm dimensions (you can role it to whatever dimensions you want, depending on how you want the buns to look). With your fingers, brush the surface lightly with water.

Prepare filling by frying the spices in a small pot along with the oil on medium. After 3 minutes, add remaining vegetables and cook over medium low for 10 minutes. 

Add the filling just far enough away from one of the longer edges so that you will be able to roll the dough over it. Roll the dough over the filling and continue to roll it into a log. Cut the log into eight even pieces. Close the ends of the cut pieces, so the filling wont fall out.

Let the pieces rise in a damp cloth for about 20 minutes (if you’re impatient, you can take them out after 10, but they may not rise quite as much).

Bake for 15 minutes at 350, or until slightly browned and have a firm, but not crispy outside. 

Let cool slightly and serve.

You can really add any filling you want to the buns; we just made one up. Dip in any applicable sauce you have lying around the house. For dessert, we suggest using the left over marmalade as a filling.


Adapted from this recipe.