Mushroom and Vegetable Steamed Buns

Place 30g of dried shiitake mushrooms into a sealed container, add warm water around 30-40 degrees to submerge them, add 2g of sugar, cover and shake for two minutes, soak for about half an hour, and finally wash clean for later use.

Measure 205g of warm water below 40 degrees, add 4g instant yeast to dissolve. In a large bowl, mix 400g all purpose flour and 5g sugar, gradually pour in the yeast water while stirring into flakes with chopsticks, add 10g vegetable oil, knead into a dough by hand, cover and rest for 10 minutes, then knead again until smooth.

Place the smooth dough into a large bowl twice its size, cover, and let it rise at room temperature until doubled in volume.

Pick and wash 550g boy choy, cut off the roots, blanch in boiling water for about 45 seconds, remove and immediately plunge into ice water or cold water to cool down, squeeze slightly and chop with a knife, then squeeze out excess water completely.

Put the soaked and cleaned dried shiitake mushrooms into the pot and boil for about two minutes, remove and squeeze out slight moisture, cut off hard roots, and chop into mushroom mince for later use.

Chop 20g green onion. In a large bowl, add the chopped vegetables, mix in 1g baking soda, then add 20g sesame oil and mix well. Next, add the mushroom mince, 15g oyster sauce, 10g dried shrimp, green onion, and 1.5g salt, mix thoroughly to make the filling.

Sprinkle flour on the board to prevent sticking, take out the fermented dough, roll into a long strip, knead using body weight with the heels of both hands alternating to release air until smooth, roll into a long strip again, divide into 12 equal pieces (about 50g each), and cover with plastic wrap.

Sprinkle flour on the board, flatten a dough piece, roll it slightly thinner, then rotate the dough with one hand while rolling only the edges with the rolling pin (leaving the center thick), making a wrapper about 11cm in diameter with a thick center and thin edges, and dust flour on the back.

Place the wrapper on your cupped palm, put in about 45g of filling, and flatten with the back of a spoon. Use your left thumb to hold the filling, right hand to pleat and seal, pinching at the first knuckle of your index finger. Finally pinch off a couple of pleats to close, and lift slightly.

Line the steamer with paper or damp cloth, arrange buns with spacing. Proof at room temperature uncovered for 10 minutes, then place in steamer with cold water, turn heat to high. Once steam appears, reduce to mid-high heat and steam for 10 minutes, turn off heat and keep lid on for 3 minutes before opening.