Steamed Chinese buns make a great treat. These delicious buns are filled with an amazingly flavorful mixture of chicken, shiitakes, and bamboo. The basic dough for Chinese steamed buns needs to be made before starting this recipe and can be found here. Enjoy!

Basic Dough for Chinese Steamed Buns

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
5 dried shiitake mushrooms
5 whole white button mushrooms
5oz can sliced bamboo shoots
1 green onion
¼ inch piece ginger
2 ½ tbsp peanut oil
1 ½ tbsp cornstarch
Wax paper

Marinade:
½ tsp garlic salt
1 tbsp sherry
1 tbsp cornstarch

Sauce:
¾ cup chicken broth
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sherry
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp sugar
¼ tsp pepper

1. Before starting this recipe, make sure you have made the basic dough for Chinese steamed buns.


2. To make the filling, start by removing all of the fat from the chicken and then cut it into very small thin strips. Then place these strips in a container that has a tight fitting lid and add the marinade in the following order.


3. First sprinkle in the salt making sure to coat each piece of meat. Then add in the sherry and stir. Next, sprinkle in the cornstarch a little at a time and use your hands to mix it in thoroughly. Then cover the chicken and let it marinate at room temperature for about 20 minutes while preparing the other ingredients.


4. Soak the shiitakes in a bowl of warm water for about 30 minutes, or until they expand.


5. Wipe the button mushrooms to remove any excess dirt, then slice them into thin small slivers about the same size as the chicken and set them aside.


6. Open and drain the can of bamboo shoots. Place them on a cutting board and roughly chop them into tiny pieces and then set them aside.


7. Rinse the green onion under cold running water and dry it with paper towels. Then cut off the bottom base and about an inch form the top of the greens and discard. Then cut the remaining stalk into tiny pieces and set them aside.


8. Using a knife, remove the peel from the ginger. Then dice it into tiny pieces and set them aside.


9. Check to see if the shiitakes have expanded. Once they expand, take them out of the water, squeezing them to get the excess water out. Then dry them with paper towels. Next, remove the stems, cut them into thin slivers, and set them aside.


10. In a large cup, mix together all of the ingredients for the sauce. Then set this mixture aside.


11. In a small cup, mix the cornstarch with just a little water until it dissolves and then set it aside.


12. After the chicken marinates, heat 1 ½ tablespoons of the peanut oil on high.


13. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken and let it cook for about 4 minutes, or just until it is cooked through. Then remove it from the wok, place it on a plate and set it aside.


14. Without wiping out the wok, add the remaining tablespoon of peanut oil and heat it on high.


15. When the oil is hot, add the green onions and ginger and stir fry them for about 30 seconds.


16. Then add both mushrooms and the bamboo and stir fry for another minute.


17. Next, add the sauce and let it come to a boil. Once it boils, add the cornstarch mixture and stir until it becomes thick.


18. Next, turn the heat to low and return the chicken to the wok. Stir until everything is combined and then remove it from the heat and set it aside to cool.


19. Next, take the wax paper and cut it into 3 inch squares. Cut 24 squares. The buns will be placed on these squares while cooking so that they don't stick to the steamer.


20. Depending on the size of your steamer, place the wax paper squares on the steamer rack, far enough apart so that the buns have room to rise without sticking to the sides of the steamer or to each other. Place the remaining wax paper squares on a plate so that you can lay the finished buns on them and then place them in the steamer when it's their time to be cooked.


21. Next, set up a work space to fill the buns. Have a floured board or surface to work on and extra flour nearby. Have the filling mixture, dough, and plate with the wax paper squares nearby as well.


22. Now take the basic dough, place it on your floured surface and knead it for about 5 minutes.


23. Then roll it into a long log shape and cut this log in half.


24. Take both halves of the log and cut them in half again so that you have 4 equal log sections.


25. Then take one of these sections, setting the other 3 sections aside, and cut it into 6 equal pieces.


26. Next take one of these pieces and using the palms of your hands roll it into a ball. Then press it onto the floured surface, flattening it with a rolling pin into about a 3 inch circle.


27. Then take a little filling and place it in the center of this circle. Wrap the dough around the filling by pleating it. To do this slowly pull up a little portion of the side of the dough and then pull up another portion next to it and pinch it together. Repeat this action all the way around until you come to the top of the bun pinching the dough as you go. At the end you want to twist and pinch off the top. This is very difficult to do at first, but after a few tries it will get easier. Keep in mind that it doesn't have to be perfect. As long as there is a constant swirl and it's fully pinched at the top. Once the bun is complete place it on a wax paper square. Continue until all of your buns are made. Closing these buns is similar to closing the barbecued pork buns. To see how to pinch these buns together click here.


28. Place the first couple of finished buns on the wax paper squares that are in the steamer. Then once the steamer is full, place the rest of the finished buns on the squares that are on the plates.


29. When the buns are finished, bring a pot of water to boil. Make sure that your steamer fits on top of this pot comfortably.


30. Once the water boils, place the steamer on top of the pot and steam the buns for about 8 to 10 minutes.


31. When they are finished, let them cool for a few minutes, then remove them and serve. Makes 24 buns.