I love a good scallion bun, but for so many years I've felt a bit intimidated trying to make them myself, mostly because they look so pretty and i felt like I wouldn't be able to do the folding justice hehe. But since I feel I've come pretty far on my "steam bun-journey" at this point it was time to give it a crack. After researching a few recipes from creators like King Arthur Baking, Bianca Patzka and The Woks of Life as well as experimenting myself using my base steam bun dough recipe and a few variations to the fillings I've finally made the scallion bun of my dreams! Five spice and salt is not something that's always added to these kinds of buns. However, personally I've found that I just love the aromatic flavour that the five spice brings and so decided to use that as well as some salt to get some extra depth of flavour and give it that lil bit of "edge".
Dough
240g all purpose flour
60g corn starch
40g granulated sugar
1.5tsp dry yeast
170g lukewarm water
Filling
35g neutral oil
3 diced scallions
1tsp five spice
1/4tsp salt
Method:
Mix all ingredients for the dough and knead into a smooth ball. Cover with cling film/a damp towel or place in an airtight container and leave to rest for at least one hour. Make the filling by finely slicing the scallions and mixing with salt and five spice in a heat proof bowl. Heat the oil until it just about starts smoking. Pour the oil over the scallion mix and let it sizzle. Stir and set aside until it's cooled down enough to touch. Knock the air out of the dough once rested and transfer to a floured surface. Roll into a 30x45cm rectangle 30cm high and 45cm wide, spread the filling on the lower half of the rectangle and fold in two, forming a 15x45cm rectangle. Slice it into 2-3cm thick strips. Place two strips on top of each other and place a chopstick down the middle. Press down to form an indent into he dough strips and slide it out. Fold the strips along the indented line, twist a few times and tie into a knot, sticking one edge up through the middle. (See the photos below for a visualisation).
Repeat with two and two strips until you've used up all the dough. Place all buns in a bamboo steamer lined with parchment paper (poke a few holes in the paper to allow the steam to travel upwards). Put the lid on the steamer and let the buns rest for 30minutes. Then steam the buns for 10-15 minutes. Let cool for another 5 minutes before frying the buns until golden in an oiled pan.
Serve with your favourite dipping sauce, some veggies, tofu or any other condiments you like!
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