Steamed Buns (Part I)

Steamed Buns Attempt #1 – FAILED 😦

Inspired by this recipe request (recipe wanted: pork belly buns aka taiwanese hamburger) I wanted to try my hand at making my own pork belly buns. While browsing online for the perfect recipe, I found that most people recommend you use store-bought buns – no way I was going to let that happen! So the first step in this process was to make my own steamed buns.  Before I continue, I should probably point out that this was my very first venture into baking bread (from scratch, that is; instant biscuits don’t count!), so I may have made a lot of amateur errors along the way. But bear with me, for in due time I shall learn!

Normally, I would post the recipe and the steps I took so that someone could help me identify what went wrong, but this time the error was just too large. It wasn’t about how long I let the yeast sit or how long I let the bread rise or what temperature the oven was set at – it was a problem with the pure basics. And now an important lesson: if it’s your first time baking, follow the recipes – use the right ingredients, take the right measurements, follow the steps. At least once. Until you know what you’re doing.

And now for the big unveil: what went wrong? Well for starters, if a recipe calls for all purpose flour or bread flour or cake flour, use it. Don’t use…rice flour.

What a crumbly mess…

Look at those cracks! By this point, I had long since realized I was using the wrong flour and that rice flour was not, in fact, an ingenious way to spice up the recipe. But I still wanted to see what would happen…

(After steaming) I actually don’t think they came out quite as bad as I thought they would. But they were extremely hard. Texture left much to be desired.

Oh well, lesson learned! Until next time…

UPDATE: There actually was a next time. I made 2 more batches of the steamed buns following this colossal disaster. Stories (and recipes) to be posted soon!

RECIPE WANTED: Fried Shrimp Rolls

RECIPE WANTED

REQUEST DETAILS: Would like a simple recipe for the fried shrimp rolls pictured above – particularly would like a recipe for the shrimp filling inside.

ATTRIBUTES: A mixture of chopped shrimp and ground shrimp, combined into a paste and wrapped with a spring roll wrapper (?) and deep fried. Surprisingly light tasting, the flavorful shrimp filling prevails and masks the taste of the fried exterior.

LAST EATEN WHERE: China Chalet, NYC

LAST EATEN WHEN: February 2011

CURRENT STATUS: Still missing

Any information you can provide on where to find this recipe (or a similar recipe) is greatly appreciated.

Please help us find this recipe!

RECIPE WANTED: Belgian Waffles

RECIPE WANTED

REQUEST DETAILS: Would like a recipe for traditional Belgian Waffles!

ATTRIBUTES: Crispy on the outside, with a warm, soft, and chewy dough on the inside. Perfect with just a coating of powdered sugar or an abundance of sweet treats piled on top.

LAST EATEN WHERE: Wafels & Dinges Truck, NYC

LAST EATEN WHEN: March 2011

CURRENT STATUS: Still searching!

Any information you can provide on where to find this recipe (or a similar recipe) is greatly appreciated.

Please help us find this recipe!

RECIPE WANTED: German Sausages

RECIPE WANTED

REQUEST DETAILS: Would like an authentic recipe for German sausages, like the ones picture above. Can’t remember specifically what kind of sausages they were…

ATTRIBUTES: The perfect balance of substance and flavor. No overbearing presence of salt, spices, or any one flavor – the perfect flavor profile for sausages. Light flavors, easy to devour, the perfect accompaniment to a cold glass of beer. The sausage pictured on the right had cheese stuffed in the middle.

LAST EATEN WHERE: The Standard Biergarten, NYC

LAST EATEN WHEN: February 2011

CURRENT STATUS: Still searching!

Any information you can provide on where to find this recipe (or a similar recipe) is greatly appreciated.

Please help us find this recipe!

UPDATE: It appears that the sausages used at the Standard Biergarten are the culinary genius of a butcher on the Upper East Side – Schaller and Weber!

RECIPE FOUND: Pork Belly Buns, aka “Taiwanese Hamburger” (刮包)

RECIPE WANTED FOUND

REQUEST DETAILS: Want a recipe for authentic Taiwanese pork belly buns (刮包), complete with ground peanuts, cilantro, mustard greens, and whatever else is in there!

ATTRIBUTES: The Momofuku pork bun (pictured above) features 2 slices of pork belly with cucumber slices, diced scallion, and hoisin sauce sandwiched in a delicate, thin bun. However, the Momofuku version uses pork belly slices that, in my opinion, have not yet reached the desired level of tenderness. The version I would like is a much larger bun, with very tender pork belly braised in a soy sauce and five spice powder stew, with layers of cilantro, crushed peanuts, and diced mustard greens – all stuffed inside a light, fluffy bun.

LAST EATEN WHERE: Momofuku Milk Bar, NYC

LAST EATEN WHEN: March 2011

CURRENT STATUS: Still learning. Kitchen experimentation in progress! Kitchen experimentation complete and recipe found!

Any information you can provide on where to find this recipe (or a similar recipe) is greatly appreciated.

Please help us find this recipe!

Follow our kitchen as we experiment with this recipe:

• Steamed Buns (Part I)
• Steamed Buns (Part II)
• Taiwanese Pork Belly Buns