Chinese Steamed Breakfast Buns with Egg and Chives Recipe
Soft, fluffy steamed buns filled with egg and chives are a popular Chinese breakfast. A bit like a cross between a yeasted bun and an egg sandwich, just without baking. In China they’re often bought on the way to work from small street stalls – you can make them at home on the weekend and freeze them for quick mornings.
These buns bring the feel of a Chinese street breakfast into your kitchen: soft, fluffy dough, a fragrant egg-and-chive filling, and a light steaming method instead of baking. They’re easy to batch-cook and freeze, making them perfect for quick, satisfying weekday breakfasts.
Chef's tips
Don’t rush the kneading – well-kneaded dough gives you that characteristic fluffy, bouncy texture. Make sure the water is warm, not hot, so the yeast stays active. When steaming, resist the urge to lift the lid; sudden temperature changes can make the buns collapse. If your kitchen is cool, let the dough rise in a slightly warm (but turned off) oven.
How to serve
Serve the buns warm for breakfast or brunch with soy sauce, chili oil, or a mild chili crisp on the side. They also pair well with green tea or soy milk. For a fuller meal, serve alongside a simple cucumber salad or lightly pickled vegetables.
Ingredients
- flour - 400 g
- instant dry yeast 1 standard sachet - 7 g
- sugar - 2 tablespoons
- salt - 0.5 teaspoons
- warm water not hot, so it doesn’t kill the yeast - 220 ml
- oil for the dough and for greasing - 2 tablespoons
- eggs 4 for the filling, 1 for brushing (optional) - 5 pieces
- chives finely chopped - 4 tablespoons
- soy sauce for the filling - 1 tablespoon
- sesame oil optional, for the filling - 1 teaspoon
- pepper black or white - 0.25 teaspoons
Preparation
- Put the flour, yeast, sugar and salt into a large bowl. Mix. Add the warm water and 1 tablespoon of oil. Knead by hand or with a dough hook for about 8–10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic, slightly soft but not very sticky.
- Shape the dough into a ball, brush it lightly with 1 tablespoon of oil, place it back in the bowl, cover with a kitchen towel and leave in a warm place for about 45–60 minutes, until doubled in size.
- Meanwhile, prepare the filling: crack 4 eggs into a bowl, add a pinch of salt and beat with a fork. Heat a little oil in a pan over medium heat, pour in the eggs and cook, stirring gently, until you get soft scrambled eggs, slightly moist and not dried out. Remove from the heat.
- Add the chopped chives, soy sauce, sesame oil and pepper to the scrambled eggs. Gently mix and set aside to cool.
- Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Shape into a log and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then flatten it with your hand into a disc about 10 cm in diameter, leaving the edges slightly thinner than the center.
- Place 1–2 tablespoons of egg filling in the center of each disc. Gather the edges of the dough up and pinch together like a little pouch, then gently turn seam-side down and lightly round the bun in your hands.
- Place the buns on squares of baking paper, leaving space between them as they will rise again. Cover with a kitchen towel and leave for 15–20 minutes to proof a second time.
- Prepare a steamer (metal, bamboo, or a regular colander set over a pot of water). Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat so it steams vigorously but doesn’t boil over.
- Arrange the buns on the steamer insert together with the paper squares, leaving space between them. Steam for about 12–15 minutes with the lid on, without opening during cooking so they don’t collapse.
- After steaming, turn off the heat and wait 2 minutes before removing the lid so the buns don’t get a sudden temperature shock. Serve warm.
Storage
Bułeczki po ostudzeniu możesz przechowywać w lodówce lub zamrozić. Podgrzewaj na parze 5–7 minut lub w mikrofalówce pod przykryciem z odrobiną wody na talerzu, aby nie wyschły.
