Nikuman, also known as bao buns and pork buns, are known for being pretty hard to create! So here is an easier way to make them without a special steamer or rising the dough with yeast. I’ve made these a few times after work!
Keep scrolling for the recipe below, or check out the video here.
Nikuman dough ingredients:
*Bread flour 100g
*Cake flour 60g
Baking powder 2 tsp
Sugar 2 tbsp
Salt 1 tsp
Sesame oil 1 tbsp
Water 90-100ml
*Instead of a combination of bread and cake flour, you can substitute 150g bread flour and use 90ml water for a stronger dough and more prominent creases.
Nikuman filling ingredients:
Pork mince 150g
4 Spring onions
1 Eringi mushroom (50g)
1 Shiitake mushroom
Sesame oil 1 tsp
Sake 1 tsp (optional)
Soy sauce 2 tsp
Oyster sauce 1 tsp
Potato starch 1 tsp
Salt and pepper
+Water 150ml
How to make these nikuman:
1. Make the dough by combining the dry dough ingredients (flours, baking powder, sugar, and salt).
2. Once combined, add the wet ingredients (sesame oil and water).
3. Use a rubber spatula to bring together as a shaggy dough. Then use your hand to knead for about three minutes until smooth. Try not to knead for too long as the baking powder can taste funky after too much kneading! Add water or flour a tablespoon at a time if necessary.
4. Leave the dough to rest, covered, for 10-15 minutes.
5. Onto the filling. Thinly slice your spring onions, and finely dice your mushrooms. I tend to dice the stalks and the heads separately.
6. Combine all the filling ingredients with a rubber spatula. Get in with your hands to really combine it! A short mixing time will provide looser filling, and a longer mixing time will make a more solid filling.
7. Cut your rested dough into 6, and roll into circles about 13cm in diameter.
8. Take a portion of filling and place it in the centre of the dough (I tend to break up my filling into six to make this easier to judge).
9. Using your thumb and forefinger, take an edge of the dough and bring it over the filling to the very centre.
10. Keeping your thumb in the middle, take another piece of dough from close by and bring it to the first piece. Pinch these together. Repeat all the way around the nikuman.
11. When all of the creases are together, pinch and twist. You should end up with a sort of second hole. Twist again and bring the excess up to the top of the nikuman and pinch or press down.
12. Get a piece of baking paper that is large enough to cover the bottom and sides of your pot and place that in the base of the pot.
13. Place your nikuman on top of the baking paper (to avoid them sticking together, you do this in batches. The strong flour version should not fall apart even if the buns stick together).
14. Pour 150ml water under the baking paper, then cover with a lid, making sure all of the paper is inside the pan and lid.
15. Cook on medium heat until boiling, about 2-3 minutes.
16. Lower the heat and cook for another 12 minutes.
17. Remove from the pan and let rest for a few minutes before removing from the paper.
If you make this, tag me on Instagram! @incassieskitchen
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