Scallion Oil Steamed Bun Rolls
Northern Chinese people love eating flour-based foods, and steamed buns and rolls are daily staples. Scallion oil rolls are slightly savory compared to plain steamed buns, but not as complicated as stuffed buns. When I was young, I loved eating the scallion oil rolls my mom made. Freshly steamed rolls can be eaten plain, and I could eat three in one go—one of the unforgettable flavors of my childhood. Tips to keep scallions from turning yellow: Mix a tiny bit of baking soda with chopped scallions so that they retain their vibrant green color after steaming, without turning yellow. If you don't mind the color, you can skip the baking soda and they will taste just as good. This recipe yields 14–15 rolls; you can adjust the quantity according to your personal needs.
Ingredients
Steps
Add 5 grams of yeast powder to a bowl.
Add 260 grams of water, stir well, and let sit for 5 minutes.
Slowly pour the yeast water into 500 grams of flour.
Stir using chopsticks in circular motions until it forms small clumps of dough and there is no visible dry flour left in the bowl.
Sprinkle a small amount of dry flour onto the board, pour the dough onto it, and knead into a smooth dough ball.
Place the dough in a large bowl, cover, and let it rise.
Wash the scallions and remove excess water.
Only use the green parts of the scallions. Chop into fine pieces; the remaining white parts can be used for stir-frying.
Mix chopped scallions with 1 gram of baking soda.
Stir evenly and set aside.
Let the dough rise until it doubles in size. The specific time depends on room temperature; with the current room temperature at 19°C after heating is turned off, it took about two and a half hours.
Sprinkle a small amount of dry flour on the board, knead the dough repeatedly to release air completely. At this point, the dough weighs 775 grams.
Divide the dough into two even portions, each weighing 388 grams.
Take one piece of dough and cover the other in the bowl to prevent it from drying out. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a large rectangular sheet. To ensure a neat shape, you can trim the edges with a knife.
Drizzle 1 spoon of peanut oil.
Spread the oil evenly with a brush.
Evenly sprinkle 1 spoon of salt.
Scatter the chopped scallions evenly.
Roll the sheet tightly from one side towards the other.
Once rolled, place the seam underneath and keep the smooth side on top.
Cut off uneven ends.
Cut into evenly-sized pieces, each about two fingers wide.
Take two pieces of dough and stack them one on top of the other.
Use chopsticks to press in the middle of the stack, making both sides curve upwards.
Gently remove the chopsticks.
Lift the dough, stretch out both ends, and tuck them underneath the dough to form the base.
Repeat this process for the remaining dough pieces. Allow them to rest for 15 minutes for the second fermentation.
Steam in a pot of cold water for 15 minutes.
Turn off the heat and let the rolls sit for 3 minutes before opening the lid to prevent shrinkage due to sudden cold air.
The rolls are done and ready to be served.
Vibrant green color and the fragrant aroma of scallions make these rolls irresistible.
Admire the layers—a perfect roll to peel and eat layer-by-layer.