Aesthetically pleasing they are not yet but my technique will improve with practice… I hope. That or I’ll just start placing them seam down. It’s supposed to be a sort of pinch and twist motion but I obviously haven’t mastered this yet!
Makes 10
For the dough:
300g bread or plain flour
40g sugar
10g baking powder
4g fast action yeast
pinch of salt
40ml milk
100ml water
15g vegetable shortening (Trex)
For the filling:
475g minced pork
3 spring onions, chopped
1/2 a can bamboo shoots, chopped
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sake
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp sesame oil
– Mix together the dry ingredients in a bowl and make a well in the centre.
– Pour the milk and water into the well and mi well with a spoon until it all combines into a dough.
-Then add the vegetable shortening and knead this into the dough.
– Continue to knead for 5-10 minutes until the dough is smooth and soft.
– Place the dough in a bowl and cover. Put in a warm place for 30-45 minutes or until the dough is doubled in size.
– While you’re waiting mix together all of the filling ingredients in a bowl.
– When the dough has risen knock it down and divide into 10 pieces.
– Keeping the dough you’re not working with covered, roll out the pieces into circles of about 5″.
– Put a large spoonful of filling in the centre of the circle, run a wet finger round the outside of the dough and then pinch and gather together in the centre. Place on a circle of waxed/parchment paper (I actually used flattened bun cases but they stuck). *
– Place in a steamer so that they’re not touching and steam for 15 minutes.
*At this point you can flash freeze them and keep them for later. To cook just defrost and steam as normal.
Your nikomen appear to be the chinese dim sum cha siu bau… which are steamed bbq-pork buns and my favouritest in the world. So now I am going to try making your nikomen in the hope that they are like cha siu baus and I will have my favouritest dim sum made by my own fair handies! ^_^ xxx
From browsing the chinese supermarkets I think you’re right. Basically just about every east asian cuisin will have a version of these, they’re great street food for one thing! Let me know how they work out for you.