11/10/2026
Slow morning, the sun just rises, the earth is warming, the birds are chipping. This morning I’m making a veggie breakfast Chinese way. Mushroom and veggies Bun.
Ingredients
For filling:
- 20g Shiitake mushrooms
- 300g Pok Choy (green cabbage)
- 1 tsp salt (for extract juice from cabbage)
- 1 tsp salt (for cooking)
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp mince garlic
For the bun:
- 300g plain flour
- 3g yeast
- 10g sugar
- 15g pork fat
- 145g water (lukewarm)
Instructions
The Filling
- Prep Mushrooms: Soak and rehydrate the 20g Shiitake mushrooms in water, then finely chop them on a cutting board.
- Prep Pok Choy: Chop the 300g Pok Choy, place it in a large bowl, and mix with 1 tsp salt to extract the juice. Squeeze out the excess juice with your hands.
- Sauté Mushrooms: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a saucepan, add 1 tsp minced garlic, and then add the chopped shiitake mushrooms to stir-fry.
- Add Veggies & Seasonings: Add the chopped pok choy, 1 tsp salt (for cooking), and 1 tsp soy sauce into the pan. Stir-fry everything together.
- Cooling: Transfer the cooked vegetable filling into a bowl and set aside to cool.
The Dough
- Activate Yeast: In a small bowl, combine the 145g lukewarm water, 3g yeast, and 10g sugar. Stir gently and let it sit for 10 minutes until it becomes foamy.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl (or stand mixer bowl), add the 300g plain flour and 15g pork fat (or lard/shortening). Rub the fat into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
- Knead: Pour the activated yeast mixture into the flour. Mix until a shaggy dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes, until it is smooth, elastic, and soft. (Alternatively, use the dough hook on a stand mixer for 5-7 minutes).
- First Proof: Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth and rest for 10 minutes. Dough does not need to be doubled in size.
Assembly & Shaping
- Divide and Roll: Divide dough into 10-12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a small ball.
- Flatten Wrappers: Flatten each dough ball into a disk. Use a rolling pin to roll the edges of the disk, keeping the center slightly thicker than the edges. Your wrappers should be about 3-4 inches in diameter.
- Fill: Take the prepared vegetable filling and divide it into equal portions. Place one portion of the filling in the center of a dough wrapper.
- Pleat and Seal: Hold the edge of the wrapper with one thumb while using the other hand to pleat and fold the edges over the filling. Pinch the final pleats firmly together to seal the bun completely. Place the bun seam-side down on a small square of parchment paper. Repeat with all buns.
Second Proof & Steaming
- Second Proof: Place the finished buns (on their parchment squares) into your steamer baskets. Cover and place on a pot of warm water (40C°) to let the bun rise for 5-8 minutes. They should look slightly puffed.
- Steam: Place the steamer baskets on top of the pot of cold water. Steam over medium-high heat for 18 minutes.
- Finish: Turn off the heat, but do not remove the lid immediately. Let the buns sit for 5 minutes to prevent them from collapsing. Remove the steamer and serve the buns hot and fluffy!
