I recently crafted a batch of Japanese Street Food that never ceases to amaze me. I started with a light dough made from all-purpose flour, yeast, and a hint of sugar and salt, then filled it with a savory mix of ground pork, garlic, ginger, and soy sauce. The result is an unexpectedly delightful treat.
I’ve always been fascinated by Japanese street food and these steamed pork buns are a perfect example. I first discovered them when exploring busy city corners and thought why not make my own version at home.
I start by mixing 300g of all-purpose flour with a teaspoon of instant yeast, warm water, sugar and a pinch of salt, then fold in a bit of vegetable oil for smooth dough. The filling is a highlight for me.
I toss 400g of ground pork with finely chopped onion, minced garlic and a little grated ginger. Then, soy sauce, sake, and mirin bring everything together with a savory twist.
I even add some chopped cabbage and green onions along with a dash of black pepper to heighten the flavors. Its a fun process and the step by step photos make it easy to follow even if you dont have a steamer.
Enjoy creating this cool Japanese snack in your own kitchen!
Why I Like this Recipe
1. I really like how the dough becomes light and soft, even if it takes a bit of practice to get it just right. There’s something satisfying about kneading the dough and watching it rise perfectly.
2. I love the pork filling because the mix of ginger, garlic, and soy sauce gives it an amazing, savory flavor. It’s simple, but it really hits all the right notes for me.
3. I appreciate that the recipe isn’t too complicated, which means i can make it whether or not i have a steamer. This makes me feel like i can enjoy these buns any time even on a busy day.
4. I also enjoy the whole cooking process because it sorta feels personal and reminds me of when i used to cook with my family; it makes the meal feel extra cozy and homemade.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour gives the buns their soft and chewy texture and loads of carbohydrates.
- Ground pork brings rich protein and juicy flavor making the filling really hearty and tasty.
- Soy sauce adds a salty umami kick that really boosts the overall flavor profile.
- Minced garlic supplies a punch of aroma and a bit of spiciness to the mix.
- Finely chopped cabbage offers a fresh crunch and fiber and lightens the meat filling.
- Grated ginger delivers a warm, zesty hint that perfectly complements the other seasonings.
Ingredient Quantities
- 300g all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp instant yeast
- 150ml warm water
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 400g ground pork
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sake
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 1 tsp sugar (for the filling)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped cabbage
- 2 green onions, chopped
- A pinch of black pepper
How to Make this
1. In a large bowl, mix the flour, 2 tbsp sugar, salt and instant yeast. Then add the warm water and vegetable oil and knead it until you get a smooth dough. Cover it with a clean cloth and let it rest for about an hour so it can double in size.
2. While the dough is rising, combine the ground pork, chopped onion, minced garlic, grated ginger, chopped cabbage and green onions in another bowl.
3. Add 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp sake, 1 tbsp mirin, 1 tsp sugar and a pinch of black pepper to the pork mixture. Mix it all together until everything is evenly combined.
4. Once the dough has risen, punch it down and divide it into 10 equal portions. Try not to be too rough with it so the dough stays light.
5. Flatten each dough ball with your hands or a rolling pin into a rough round shape about 3-4 inches across. The edges should be a bit thinner than the center.
6. Place a spoonful of the pork filling in the center of each flattened dough disc. Be careful not to overfill them otherwise they might burst open while steaming.
7. Gather the edges of the dough around the filling, pinching them together to seal in the pork. Make sure the seam is at the bottom so the filling stays inside during cooking.
8. Arrange the filled buns on a piece of parchment paper, leaving a little room between each so they don’t stick together.
9. If you have a steamer, bring water to a boil in your steamer pot and place the buns inside. Cover and steam for about 15 minutes. If you dont have a steamer, try placing the buns in a heatproof bowl covered with foil over boiling water.
10. Once done, remove the buns carefully from the steamer. Let them cool a bit before serving and enjoy your tasty Japanese steamed pork buns while they are warm!
Equipment Needed
1. Large mixing bowl – used for combining the flour, sugar, salt, instant yeast, warm water, and vegetable oil needed to make the dough.
2. Secondary bowl – to mix the ground pork with onion, garlic, ginger, cabbage, green onions, and seasonings.
3. Measuring cups and spoons – essential for getting the exact amounts of water, oil, sugar, and soy sauce right.
4. Clean cloth – to cover the dough while it rests and rises.
5. Rolling pin (or your hands) – for flattening the dough balls into discs before adding the filling.
6. Knife and cutting board – needed to chop the onion, cabbage, garlic, ginger, and green onions accurately.
7. Spoon – for placing the pork filling onto each dough disc without overfilling.
8. Parchment paper – to lay out the buns so they don’t stick to each other during steaming.
9. Steamer pot (or a heatproof bowl with aluminum foil) – used to steam the buns for about 15 minutes.
FAQ
Easy Japanese Steamed Pork Buns Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Instead of all-purpose flour, you can use bread flour if you want a chewier texture
- If you don’t have instant yeast, you can use active dry yeast. Just dissolve it in the warm water and wait for it to froth
- You can swap ground pork with ground chicken or turkey for a leaner option
- No sake? Use dry sherry as a decent replacement in the filling
- Instead of mirin, try mixing a little rice vinegar with extra sugar to mimic its sweet tang
Pro Tips
1. Let the dough really rest and double its size – if it’s rushed, you’ll get tougher buns that don’t puff up as nicely.
2. Be gentle when punching down and forming the dough balls; overworking it can make it dense and chewy.
3. Make sure the filling isn’t too wet; if the veggies like cabbage release too much water, it might make the buns soggy.
4. When steaming, create a bit of extra space between the buns so they don’t end up sticking together and mess up the shape.
Easy Japanese Steamed Pork Buns Recipe
My favorite Easy Japanese Steamed Pork Buns Recipe
Equipment Needed:
1. Large mixing bowl – used for combining the flour, sugar, salt, instant yeast, warm water, and vegetable oil needed to make the dough.
2. Secondary bowl – to mix the ground pork with onion, garlic, ginger, cabbage, green onions, and seasonings.
3. Measuring cups and spoons – essential for getting the exact amounts of water, oil, sugar, and soy sauce right.
4. Clean cloth – to cover the dough while it rests and rises.
5. Rolling pin (or your hands) – for flattening the dough balls into discs before adding the filling.
6. Knife and cutting board – needed to chop the onion, cabbage, garlic, ginger, and green onions accurately.
7. Spoon – for placing the pork filling onto each dough disc without overfilling.
8. Parchment paper – to lay out the buns so they don’t stick to each other during steaming.
9. Steamer pot (or a heatproof bowl with aluminum foil) – used to steam the buns for about 15 minutes.
Ingredients:
- 300g all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp instant yeast
- 150ml warm water
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 400g ground pork
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sake
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 1 tsp sugar (for the filling)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped cabbage
- 2 green onions, chopped
- A pinch of black pepper
Instructions:
1. In a large bowl, mix the flour, 2 tbsp sugar, salt and instant yeast. Then add the warm water and vegetable oil and knead it until you get a smooth dough. Cover it with a clean cloth and let it rest for about an hour so it can double in size.
2. While the dough is rising, combine the ground pork, chopped onion, minced garlic, grated ginger, chopped cabbage and green onions in another bowl.
3. Add 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp sake, 1 tbsp mirin, 1 tsp sugar and a pinch of black pepper to the pork mixture. Mix it all together until everything is evenly combined.
4. Once the dough has risen, punch it down and divide it into 10 equal portions. Try not to be too rough with it so the dough stays light.
5. Flatten each dough ball with your hands or a rolling pin into a rough round shape about 3-4 inches across. The edges should be a bit thinner than the center.
6. Place a spoonful of the pork filling in the center of each flattened dough disc. Be careful not to overfill them otherwise they might burst open while steaming.
7. Gather the edges of the dough around the filling, pinching them together to seal in the pork. Make sure the seam is at the bottom so the filling stays inside during cooking.
8. Arrange the filled buns on a piece of parchment paper, leaving a little room between each so they don’t stick together.
9. If you have a steamer, bring water to a boil in your steamer pot and place the buns inside. Cover and steam for about 15 minutes. If you dont have a steamer, try placing the buns in a heatproof bowl covered with foil over boiling water.
10. Once done, remove the buns carefully from the steamer. Let them cool a bit before serving and enjoy your tasty Japanese steamed pork buns while they are warm!
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