Japan

Nikuman

A fluffy white bun keeping a very juicy secret.

130 minTime

20 gProtein each

mildSpice

Make it your way

Grandma's wayThe original. Handle with reverence.

The original

545kcal

20 gprotein

3 gfibre

130minutes

Per serving, worked out from the ingredient table. Grandma's way is the starting point the other versions are compared with.

Maida (all-purpose flour, plain flour)2½ cups

Instant dry yeast1 tsp

Sugar2½ tbsp, divided

Baking powder1 tsp

Water⅔ cup, lukewarm

Cooking oil (vegetable oil)2 tsp

Salt½ tsp

Minced pork (pork mince, ground pork)250 g

Onion1 medium, finely chopped

Dried shiitake mushrooms4, soaked and chopped

Bamboo shoot¼ cup, finely chopped

Ginger2.5 cm, grated

Soy sauce1½ tbsp

Oyster sauce1 tbsp

Sesame oil2 tsp

Cornflour (cornstarch)1 tbsp

6 steps

1Mix the maida, yeast, 20 g sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the water and oil and knead 8 minutes. Cover and leave in a warm spot for 1 hour.
2Mix the pork, onion, shiitake, bamboo shoot, ginger, soy sauce, oyster sauce, remaining sugar, sesame oil and cornflour. Chill while the dough rises.
3Punch down the dough and divide into 8. Roll each into an 11 cm circle, thinner at the edges.
4Place a heaped spoon of filling in the centre. Pleat the edge all the way round, turning the bun, and twist the top shut. Set each on a square of parchment.
5Cover and rest 20 minutes.
6Steam over boiling water with a cloth under the lid for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and wait 3 minutes before opening. Break one open to check the pork is cooked through with no pink.

Serve it like this

Serve in the steamer basket, papers still on, with a little mustard or soy on the side.

Bloom picks tonight's dinner for your diet and allergies, then cooks it with you step by step.