Nikuman (Japanese Steamed Pork Buns)

5 from 2 votes

Nikuman is a popular Japanese snack inspired by Chinese baozi. This delicious steamed bun is made with juicy pork and finely chopped vegetables encased in a soft and fluffy dough. In this post I will teach you everything you need to know to make the ultimate nikuman from scratch at home, so let's get started!

Prep Time30

Cook Time20

Resting Time1

Total Time1 50

Course Appetizers, Sides, Snacks

Cuisine Chinese, Fusion, Japanese

Servings buns

Calories 251.8

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 20

Resting Time: 1

Total Time: 1 50

Course: Appetizers, Sides, Snacks

Cuisine: Chinese, Fusion, Japanese

Servings: buns

Calories: 251.8

Ingredients

Instructions

Dough

Take a jug and add 50 ml water. Stir in 2 ½ tsp sugar and ¼ tsp instant dry yeast and leave to activate for a few minutes until foamy.
Sift the 100 g cake flour and 50 g bread flour together into a bowl. Add the ¼ tsp salt and ½ tsp baking powder. Mix well until the ingredients are evenly distributed.
Pour the contents of the jug into the bowl (including the foam) and add 25 ml milk. Mix until a rough dough forms.
Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth (about 5 minutes). Place the dough back in the bowl and cover with cling film. Rest in a warm place until it doubles in size. (40-90 minutes, depending on the environment.)

Filling

Heat a pan on medium and once hot, add ½ tbsp sesame oil. Add the 50 g yellow onion(s), 50 g boiled bamboo shoots , 30 g fresh shiitake mushroom(s), 15 g fresh wood ear mushroom(s), 1 tsp grated ginger root and 1 tsp grated garlic to the pan and fry for 1-2 minutes.
Next, add ½ tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp oyster sauce, 1 tsp yellow miso paste (awase miso), 1 tsp black vinegar, ½ tbsp sake, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp honey, 1 pinch salt, 1 pinch white pepper powder and 1 tsp Chinese-style chicken bouillon powder. Mix well and continue to cook until liquid has absorbed and disappeared into the ingredients.
Mix the slurry in a small bowl. Turn off the heat and pour the slurry into the pan. Stir over the residual heat until the mixture becomes glossy and slightly thickened.
Transfer to container and allow to cool.
Once cool to the touch, mix in 100 g ground pork and 1 tsp lard. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge until the dough is ready.

Assembly

Once dough has doubled in size, knock the air out and roll it into a cylinder. Cut into equal pieces, each approximately 60g (2oz). (This recipe makes 4. If you doubled or tripled the recipe, divide into 8 or 12 respectively.)
Shape each piece into a round disc shape, cover with cling film (or clean damp cloth) and rest for 15 mins.
Take the filling out of the fridge and divide it into approximately 60g (2oz) portions for each wrapper. Place each ball of dough on a chopping board and flatten it with your palm. Then, use a rolling pin to thin out the edges. The centre should be about 5mm (1/4 inch) thick and the edges should be about 2mm thick.
Roll a portion of the filling and place it in the centre of the dough. Bring the top and bottom edges to the middle and pinch them together. Repeat with the left and right edges, then each pair of parallel corners. (See in post for pictures of how to do this.) Finally, pinch the middle and twist to firmly close the nikuman.
Place each completed nikuman on an individual square of baking paper, then place them in the steaming basket. Be sure to leave plenty of space between each nikuman and the edges of basket.
Add the lid on and rest for 15 minutes for the 2nd rise.
After 15 minutes, fill the steamer with cold water and place the steaming basket with the nikuman on top. Place it on the stove and bring to a boil over a high heat. Once it starts to boil, set a timer for 13 minutes.
Remove the lid and enjoy!