Japanese Steamed Pork Buns - Nikuman (肉マン)
Soft, fluffy steamed Japanese buns filled with a savory ground pork and mushroom filling, cooked in a bamboo steamer.
🍳 Cook: 12 min🍽️ Makes 8
Ingredients
| 237 ml | whole milk | |
| 1 tsp | 5 ml | instant yeast |
| 250 g | all-purpose flour (plus 2-3 tbsp for dusting) | |
| 454 g | ground pork (or ground beef / other ground meat) | |
| 172 g | mushrooms, finely chopped (shiitake recommended) | |
| 2 cloves | garlic, minced | |
| 1 tbsp | 15 ml | ginger, grated |
| 2 tbsp | 30 ml | soy sauce |
| 1/2 tbsp | 7.5 ml | toasted sesame oil |
| 1 tsp | 5 ml | black pepper |
| 1/2 tsp | 2.5 ml | salt |
Instructions
- Prepare your bamboo steamer by cutting 8 pieces of parchment paper to approximately 4x4 inches.
- In a large mixing bowl (or a stand mixer bowl with a dough hook), combine the milk and instant dry yeast. Stir until the yeast is dissolved, then gradually add the flour. Mix until combined.
- If kneading by hand: transfer the dough to a clean, flat surface, dusting with the additional flour. Knead for about 15 minutes, until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
- If kneading with a stand mixer: use a dough hook to knead the dough for about 10 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 8 even pieces (adjust size as desired). Roll each piece into a ball, flatten it slightly, then fold in the edges to form a smooth, rounded ball. Repeat with the remaining pieces.
- Place each dough ball on a parchment square and arrange them inside the steamer. Let them proof for 1 hour.
- While the dough is proofing, prepare the filling. In a bowl, combine the ground pork, chopped mushrooms, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, black pepper and salt. Mix until evenly combined.
- Once the dough has finished proofing, flatten each dough ball to about 1/2 inch thickness and 3 inch diameter.
- Place about 2 tablespoons of filling in the center of each flattened dough. Gather the edges around the filling, pleating and twisting at the top to seal tightly, ensuring the filling stays secure.
- Tip: place the buns in the steamer seam-down to ensure the pleats don't open, or leave them right-side up to show the pleating pattern.
- Steam the buns over simmering water for 12 minutes, or until soft, fluffy and cooked through. Avoid opening the steamer lid until the buns are done.
- Enjoy hot and fresh!