Mini Chinese Pork Buns

While a cake pop maker probably isn't your first thought when it comes to making Chinese pork buns the easy way, it's an astoundingly effective method when you actually try it.

Great for people who don't have a steamer basket or simply want to try something a little different, this recipe is definitely worth considering.

Ingredients

• vegetable oil - Or canola oil.
• sugar - To activate the yeast.
• dried yeast - I use traditional dry yeast in this recipe.
• flour - All purpose flour works great.
• sesame oil - Toasted.
• ground pork - Use unseasoned ground pork.
• scallions - Also known as green onions.
• soy sauce - To season the pork filling and for the dipping sauce.
• rice vinegar - This gives some nice tang to the dipping sauce.
• cornstarch - Cornstarch will help bind the filling to ensure the mixture stays cohesive. It also helps to lock in moisture, making the filling juicier.

*Check recipe card for full ingredients and amounts.

Tweaks

As I mentioned before, everyone has their own way of preparing pork buns. This makes this recipe quite adaptable.

• One variant could include a sweeter filling or dough.
• For a thinner and crispier exterior, try more filling and rolling the dough out thinner.
• Even just a few tweaks to the amounts of seasoning can really make this dish your own, so don't be afraid to experiment.

How to Make Mini Pork Buns

Despite any initial hesitation, your effort has paid off with a small army of delicious mini pork buns. Savory, salty, and tangy with a crisp, doughy exterior, you'll have to make a few batches if you've got any intention of sharing. Just try to avoid eating them all by yourself first, though.

For the Dough:

1. Activate yeast. Heat the water until it's lukewarm (not hot). Add the oil and sugar and mix well. Add the yeast and let it sit for 10 minutes (it will form a thick foam on top).
2. Knead. Place the flour in a bowl and slowly pour the water, oil, sugar and yeast mixture in to the center. Mix well and start kneading until the dough separates from the bowl. Transfer to a flat surface and knead for around 10 minutes.
3. Rest. Form a ball with the dough and place it in a bowl covered with a bit of flour. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit for 1-2 hours. While it's resting, make the pork filling.

For the Pork Filling:

1. Cook filling. Heat the sesame oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the pork and cook, stirring constantly, until golden brown and fully cooked.
2. Season. Remove from heat. Add the scallion, soy sauce and cornstarch. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Mix well. Reserve.

Pork Bun Preparation:

1. Mix. Mix the soy sauce with the rice vinegar. Reserve.
2. Cut dough. Remove dough ball from the bowl, and roll it out on a floured surface until you form a long cylinder. Cut it into 48 pieces (or in pieces about the size of the cake pop maker holes).
3. Roll and fill. Roll each piece out, forming a flat disc. Add a bit of filling into the center and close it with your hands, rolling it between your hands until it's smooth and round.
4. Cook. Cook them in the cake pop maker for 3 minutes with the lid closed. Carefully flip the buns over and cook for 1 to 2 more minutes, until golden. (I always use a heat glove and a spatula or toothpick to move the cake pops because the cake pop maker and pops get very hot.)
5. Serve. Let cool a few minutes. Serve with the recommended sauce.

Storage

• If there is leftover filling, you can freeze it for later use.
• Store the pork buns covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Freeze the cooked buns for up to 4 to 6 weeks.

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