Mushroom Spinach Steamed Buns

1 hours 0 mins Prep Time

30 mins Cook Time

Written By

Nadia Boachie

The Woks of Life have excellent traditional Chinese recipes and these buns were based on one of their steamed vegetable bun recipes on their blog. In this version, I used spinach instead of bok choy but have kept the dough recipe essentially the same. I like my buns slightly bigger, so I divided the dough into 10 instead of 14 pieces. These buns are perfect for anyone vegetarian or vegan. They make a perfect snack or can be had for a meal. If you love dim sum and steamed buns, try making these! You will not be disappointed! I am definitely not a bun making master and even if your buns turn out more rustic looking like mine did, they will still taste amazing. Get ready for delicate, soft fluffy buns that are stuffed with a wonderfully seasoned filling.

Ingredients

Dough

3/4 cup warm water
1 teaspoon instant yeast
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda

Filling

1 pound (about 8-10 cups) spinach
10 large fresh shiitake mushrooms
3 tablespoons vegetable oil (divided)
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 teaspoon light soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
Salt, to taste

Directions

Filling

5 Steps

Step 1

Wash your spinach thoroughly and remove any hard, large stems.
Step 2

Sauté in a frying pan, and try to get as much water out of the spinach as possible. Sauté until wilted.
Step 3

Remove from frying pan and allow to cool slightly.
Step 4

Next, transfer to a mixing bowl, if spinach was in large pieces before sautéing you may need to chop. Chop the mushrooms and cook them in a wok or pan over medium heat with 2 tablespoons of oil for about 3 to 4 minutes, until they become fragrant. Allow to cool completely.
Step 5

Pour off any visible liquid in the bowl of spinach and add in the cooked mushrooms. To the spinach and mushroom mixture add 1 tablespoon of oil, light soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, oyster sauce and white pepper. Mix well. Season with salt to taste, and place the filling in the refrigerator.

Dough

3 Steps

Step 1

In a bowl, mix together the water, yeast and sugar until the yeast dissolves. Let stand for 10-15 minutes until it foams. Stir in 1 tablespoon of oil.
Step 2

Mix together the flour, cornstarch, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. Stir in the yeast mixture using a spatula. After the dry and wet ingredients are incorporated, knead the dough with your hands (or using a mixer) until the dough becomes smooth and soft. If the dough looks sticky, add a bit more flour 1 tablespoon at a time. If the dough feels dry, add a few drops of water at a time, and continue kneading until the dough is smooth and soft. Make sure the dough is soft but not sticky.
Step 3

Brush the dough with 1 teaspoon of oil and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest until it doubles in size (about 1 hour). Once the dough has risen, punch it down, and knead it for a few minutes to get rid of all air bubbles. Portion the dough into 10 or 14 equal dough balls (depending how big you want your buns). Wet a paper towel, squeeze the water out and cover dough to prevent from drying.

Making the Buns

5 Steps

Step 1

Cut 10 or 14 pieces of parchment paper into 3”x3” squares, and set aside.. On a clean and lightly floured surface, take a dough ball, roll it out from edge to centre, rotate, and repeat until it forms a 4"-inch circle. The centre should be slightly thicker than the edges.
Step 2

Add about 2 1/2 tablespoons of filling to the centre, then pleat and twist the bun repeatedly until the top is closed. Sit the bun on a piece of the prepared parchment paper and place it on the rack of your steaming vessel of choice, with at least 1 cm of clearance on all sides. Repeat until all the buns are assembled.
Step 3

You could use different methods to steam but I used a bamboo steamer. Carefully put the buns inside the steamer, cover the lid, and let the buns rest for about 20 minutes (do not turn on the stove yet!).
Step 4

Woks of Life has excellent instructions for steaming and they should be read thoroughly. When the buns are ready to be cooked, turn the heat on high to start the steaming process. Once the water starts to boil and steam is visible, turn the heat down to medium, and steam the buns for another 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, shut off the heat, and let the buns rest inside the steamer for 5 minutes. Do not remove the cover. This is an important step, because if you remove the cover too early, the buns will collapse and lose their fluffiness! And if you are steaming buns in multiple batches, be sure to start each batch with cold water.
Step 5

The buns can be eaten and enjoyed immediately. You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer. Reheat in the microwave for about 1 minute or re-steam for about 6-8 minutes before eating.