Steamed Chicken Buns

Ingredients

For making the wrapper

• 600g / 1⅓ pounds all-purpose flour

• 300g / 10.1 fl oz lukewarm water

• 7.5g / 2.5 tsps activate dry yeast

• 4.2g / 1 tsp sugar

• 32g / 2 Tbsps butter

For making the filling

• 48g / 3.5 Tbsps vegetable oil

• 375g / about 1.5 medium-sized onion, diced

• 30g / about 10 cloves garlic, diced

• 60g / about 4 scallions, diced

• 400g / 14 oz ground chicken

• 2g / 1 tsp five-spice powder

• 1.2g / ½ tsp ground black pepper or to taste

• 16.6g / 1 Tbsp soy sauce

• 18g / 1 Tbsp oyster sauce

• 17g / 1 Tbsp fish sauce

• 13.8g / 2.5 tsps dark soy sauce

• 60g / ¼ cup chicken stock

Directions

Make the wrapper

1. Combine the lukewarm water, active dry yeast, and sugar in a big mixing bowl and stir thoroughly. Wait 5 minutes for the yeast to activate. If you are using instant yeast, you don't have to wait.

2. Add the all-purpose flour to the yeast water and stir until the liquid is evenly distributed. Keep mixing for 2 minutes or until a rough dough forms.

3. Add room-temperature butter and continue to knead for 8 minutes or until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. If you Kitchenaid, use the hook attachment and let the machine knead the dough at low speed for 8 minutes.

4. Cover the dough and let it proof for 1.5 hours or until doubled in size.

Make the filling

1. Add the oil and diced onion to a wok and sauté over medium-low heat for 6 minutes or until the onion is slightly golden.

2. Add the diced garlic and scallions. Continue to stir for 4-5 minutes or until all are golden the aromatics brown. Garlic burns faster than onion, which is why we are adding it after the onion is almost done.

3. Remove everything to a bowl, including the oil, and allow it to cool.

4. Add the ground chicken, five-spice powder, black pepper, soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and dark soy sauce to a big mixing bowl and mix until the seasonings are well combined

5. Pour the chicken stock into the ground chicken mixture in batches; stir the filling with a circular motion in one direction for 3-5 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed

6. Mix the ground chicken thoroughly with the caramelized onion, garlic, and scallions.

Wrap the steamed buns and steam

1. Once the dough is done proofing, punch it to eliminate the air bubbles. Once the bubbles are gone, knead the dough on the work surface for 6-8 minutes or until smooth.

2. Roll the dough into a long even log and then divide it into 16 pieces. Cover them so they don't dry out.

3. Put one piece of dough on the work surface with the cut cross section facing vertically, and flatten it into a small round patty. Use one hand to hold a rolling pin, the edge of the dough back and forth. Your rolling other hand will rotate the dough. Repeat that motion and you will get a round wrapper with a thick middle and a thinner edge. The diameter should be 4 inches.

4. Put 2.5 Tbsps of filling in the middle of the wrapper. Use one of your hands to pinch the corner to create the first pleat. Use your other hand to help stretch, fold, and pinch the wrapper around the edge until the bun is closed.

5. If using a stainless steel steamer, brush the rack with oil to prevent sticking. If using a bamboo steamer, cut the parchment paper into 3-inch-square sheets and place them under the buns to prevent sticking.

6. Once you finish wrapping all the buns, put them in the steamer and cover them with a lid. Let them raise for another 20 minutes or until they are 1.5 times the size.

7. Fill the steamer pot with water and place the buns above it. Steam them over medium heat for 20 minutes (start counting the time after the water has come to a boil).

8. Turn off the heat and let the buns sit in the steamer with the lid on for at least 10 minutes before serving. If you open the lid immediately, the buns will shrink and lose their fluffiness when contacting the cold air.