Amanda Laird: Chinese steamed buns

Chinese steamed buns with shitake, ginger and chicken. Photo / Babiche Martens

Makes 10

Filling

1/2 Tbs grapeseed oil
100g chicken thigh meat, finely sliced
2 tsp finely chopped ginger
3 shitake mushrooms, reconstituted in boiling water, or use fresh, finely sliced
1/2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp soy
1 tsp caster sugar
2 tsp oyster sauce
1 Tbs spring onion, finely sliced

Dough

30g fresh yeast or 1 sachet of dried
1 cup warm water
2 Tbs caster sugar
About 4 cups plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
Sesame oil


1 In a large bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water and leave for 5 minutes. Stir in 2 teaspoons of sugar and cup flour, then leave in a warm place for 10 minutes or until the mixture begins to froth.

2 Add the water, the remaining sugar and then stir to dissolve. Mix in 2 cups of flour sifted with the baking powder, until smooth, then add the remaining flour and knead for 5 minutes until the dough is elastic.

3 Grease the clean bowl with a little sesame oil, put in the dough and turn it over so the dough is completely oiled. Cover and leave in a warm place for 2 hours.

4 To make the filling, heat the oil in a pan, add the chicken, ginger and sliced mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, stirring. Add the oil, soy, sugar, oyster sauce and spring onion and mix.

5 Divide the dough into 10 even sized pieces. Put a small spoonful of mixture in the centre and form each into a smooth ball. Place on individual squares of baking paper before putting in a bamboo steamer, allowing room to rise and spread. Leave in a warm place for 30 minutes.

6 Place over boiling water and steam for 10 minutes then remove the steamer but leave covered for a further 5 minutes to cool before eating.