An open bamboo steamer gives off steam over rows of plain buns and pleated filled buns, a blue-and-white plate holds flower rolls flecked with scallion, a risen dough rests on a floured board, and a lakeside village lies beyond.
Steamed dough
Introduction
Leavened dough steamed into plain buns, filled buns and rolls.
Steamed buns are the staple breads made from leavened dough and steamed: plain buns without filling, filled buns, and rolled forms such as flower rolls and silver-thread rolls. The Northern Wei Qi Min Yao Shu, quoting an older food book, gives a method for making a bread starter from fermented sour liquid and japonica rice porridge, which shows that dough was already raised with a starter at that time. Plain buns are shaped from risen dough and steamed, and filled buns wrap meat, vegetable or sweet fillings in the dough; the unfilled bun is the staple of most people in northern China. Sweet or pastry-like baked buns belong to Pastries, and tea-house buns such as barbecued pork buns belong to Dim Sum.