Self-Rising Flour Steamed Buns
My husband is from the North but has been living in the South, where he can't find buns to his liking. One day while wandering around the supermarket, I came across self-rising flour for buns. Since I’ve gone from being a Southern girl to a Northern wife, I thought I’d start learning to make dough-based foods. So I bought it and gave it a try, and to my surprise, it was a success on the first attempt. I was super happy!
Ingredients
Steps
The self-rising flour was bought from the supermarket. You can choose any brand you prefer.
Since it was winter, I added warm water for kneading. It's fine if the dough is not smooth at this point because it will be kneaded further later. When adding water, don’t add too much as the dough becomes wetter after fermentation. I placed the dough under the air conditioner’s warm air for an hour until it doubled in size. In regular winter room temperatures, it might take at least twice as long. (Remember to cover the dough with a damp cloth, preferably breathable material like gauze.)
After the first fermentation, divide the dough into small portions and shape them as desired. This time, make sure to knead thoroughly until the surface is smooth. Allow for a second fermentation. (Remember to leave sufficient gaps between the dough portions, as they will expand a lot overnight. The gaps I left were a bit too tight.)
Upon closer inspection, you can see the surface is still very smooth. Sprinkle a bit of flour on the top and bottom of the dough to prevent sticking.
For the second fermentation, I placed it again under the air conditioner with a damp cloth on top. To prevent the dough from drying out due to direct airflow, I placed a bowl over it. This time, it took about half an hour. Generally, 15–20 minutes is enough.
Here’s how it looks after the second fermentation. As you can see, the gaps I left have been almost entirely filled.
Steam for 15–20 minutes. You can lay a layer of gauze at the bottom of the steamer for easy removal and to prevent sticking. If your steamer is highly ventilated, place a damp cloth between the lid and the pot to prevent leakage. After 20 minutes, it’s done! (Here’s an important tip: Don’t open the lid immediately after steaming; otherwise, the buns' surface will become uneven. Instead, turn off the heat and wait 3–5 minutes before opening the lid. This ensures a smoother surface.)