Back when I lived in Boston, I used to catch a bus to New York on weekends that let off at the corner of 34th and 8th. Just near there, squeezed between a Wendy’s and a Burger King, there was a tiny no-name bakery (unless it was called “$5 lunch & dinner,” which was the only sign I could see) that sold some of the tastiest steamed buns I’ve ever had in New York — enormous, fluffy, snow white, and just a couple bucks apiece. For a time, every return trip from New York found me clutching at least two (or three, or four) of those buns, tucked neatly in their wax paper jackets, for the ride back.
As a full-time New Yorker (and Brooklyner) nowadays, I don’t have much occasion to be in that area anymore. But the awesome thing about these buns is that they’re actually pretty simple (albeit a little time-consuming) to make on your own. My version is up on Food52 today, with a couple of incarnations included for red bean steamed buns, pork & vegetable, and my absolute favorite, shengjian bao, or panfried pork steamed buns. Which is fitting, since they’re a Shanghainese specialty (though I actually didn’t know that it was until I was raving to my dad about how much I loved them recently. Let’s call that being unconsciously Shanghainese, not being uninformed-ly Shanghainese.)
You can check out the recipe(s) here. (Or, if you’re feeling extra badass, check out this breakfast-sandwich-meets-SJB lovechild that only The Molly Yeh could dream up — bacon & egg shengjian bao. Oh yeah.) Happy Friday!
molly yeh
omg shengjian bao getting so much internet love. YAS!!!!
Pang
You & Molly are killing me these days!!! I love these things so much, but I am so afraid to make them.
Until I am tried of a bus ride to China Town, I am going to enjoy these photos of yours & Molly’s, and imagine that one day I can do these, too 😀
cheri
Love these flavors, I had something similar to this once in Seattle and I thought about them the whole time we were there. Great pics!
cakeoversteak
These look great, and awesome job on the Food52 post! I don’t think I’ve ever had a steamed bun … the closest I’ve ever come to that is dumplings, which I LOVE. I need to get on this bun-train. (hehehe)
steph
i just gotta say: i like your buns Cynthia! 😛
Nancy @ gottagetbaked
Shengjian baos are the best. They’re my favourite thing to eat at Shanghai restaurants (and thankfully, we’ve got a lot of really good ones where I live). Heck, I love buns of any kind, all shapes ‘n sizes (hmmm…that could be read in a totally different context…) Love these photos, Cynthia. Gonna go check out your food52 post now!
HortusCuisine
Aaaaw Cynthia! If I had only known about that place! Though that sounds like the very heart of Koreatown, so it totally makes sense to find good buns there…My favorite NY bun is the Yuenan but at the Deluxe foods Market. I have dreams of that at night. The Golden steamer is also pretty rad.
I sooo miss these and I soooo wanna try to make them! Stoeamed buns are one of my favorite foods in the world <3
dinnersforwinners
Oh heavens. This is amazing. Actually one of my favorite parts of the article was “steamer hack” because my rice cooker is so tiny and it takes forever to steam a batch of buns! But my turkey roasting pan? Now we’re talkinnnnng! Oh I can’t wait to try the pan-fried version too, I have been lusting after them ever since Molly’s post. The internet is so good to me this week!!
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
I love steamed buns so hard. Love all these suggestions!
Anne
Wow! They look great. Have you ever tried making plain ones, then lightly frying them and serving with sweetened condensed milk? They are heavenly! We used to eat them as dessert in China.
Jo Blogs
Oh yumtastic Cynthia they all look superb, I’d have a hard time picking which to make first :D. I wish we could get bao flour in England, I mean the restaurants obviously can but us ordinary folk can’t. I will definitely be trying these 🙂
Anonymous
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Mama's Gotta Bake
These buns look beautiful, so do the photos! I will give these a try!
Erika
Love that story… There are a few little places like that is this one area of Atlanta.. Lots of steamed buns out for the taking.. 🙂 These look wonderful!
Laura (Tutti Dolci)
These look so good, steamed buns were one of my favorite dishes that I tried in China!
tinywhitecottage
Beautiful beautiful photographs. Hmmm, I tried the links and none of them worked… (?)
Food Foto Gallery (@FoodFotoGallery)
Congratulations on your selection as a finalist in the Saveur Food Blog Awards!
I would to personally invite you to share your gorgeous food photos with us over at Food Foto Gallery . com – In April alone, we had 26,832 visitors to the site & there’s no complicated approval process like the big guys. Any photos related to food (that are not watermarked) are accepted & get posted automatically. Being a food blogger, myself, we also share our daily faves on social media, giving exposure to fellow foodies whenever we can.
Let me know if you have any questions and hope to see you at the site 🙂
Janine
Oooh Yum, I’ve never seen/ tried pan-fried steam buns before. Looks yummy
Mandi | No Apathy Allowed
Wow, these look fabulous! I would never have thought to try to make these myself, but maybe I will. Thanks for sharing!
Shutterbug
I love steamed buns! But whenever I try to make them, they never seem to be quite as soft and fluffy as they make in the restaurants/bakery…
tworedbowls
Have you ever tried using part cake flour in the dough? I haven’t personally, but from what I’ve read, cake flour seems to produce an extra soft and fluffy consistency — maybe it’s the missing piece! 🙂
Monica
I only recently got up the nerve to make wontons at home, and managed not to ruin a batch of Cantonese egg tarts…so maybe with your help, I can attempt these steamed buns one day. They look amazing and love looking at your photos.
Monet
These look gorgeous. We haven’t been able to get good steamed buns since moving back home. I’m eager to find a way to make a batch at home!
Gintare
How gorgeous are these buns?! I can’t remember the last time I’ve tried decent steamed buns around here, they seem to mess up and one or other angle. Must set some time to make and indulge in some soon 🙂
p.s. I love the coziness of your photos!
Jody and Ken
Lovely looking steamed buns. I hopped over to Food52 and saw a suggestion that you pair them with Joanne Chang’s H&S Soup (she’s a buddy!). Great combo. Lovely photos, as always. Ken
Kathryn
I’m pretty sure I would have walked past this bakery on my way to the office last week – next time I will stop in and buy a couple of buns. Or make you make me some 😉 Another stunner of a post friend!
ileana
Wow!! These look excellent. My boyfriend loves all kinds of dumplings so I need to make this a weekend project SOON. Thanks for sharing your recipe. 🙂
Jessica (Coco & Mingo)
Ughhh my favorite when I used to eat meat! Anything that resembled manapua, actually! These look sooo good, Cynthia! I don’t go down to Chinatown enough, but I hear about all the yummy places to eat, especially my fave, dumplings! Will need some of your recommendations! 🙂
sundiegoeats
I’ve been dying to try to make buns at home but I need to buy/Macgyver an appropriate steamer first!
morningsovereasy
I just found your blog via Food52’s feature of this particular recipe. My fondest memories of Shanghai are waiting in line at the stands in the morning and being handed a styrofoam box of freshly-fried, juice-filled shengjian baos. Shanghai Cafe in Chinatown is the closest I’ve found to the original. I can’t wait to try this at home!
Lynn
Hi,
The link to the recipe doesn’t work….