Little Rabbits Steamed Buns
In the northern part of China, we have a custom at every New Year’s Eve. We are going to steam our steamed buns. This kind of steamed buns is not those ordinary steamed buns either, it’s a variety with different kinds of patterns. For example, there are steamed buns like small fish, symbolizing a new year, surplus year after year.
There are also steamed buns that look like Chinese Yuanbao, symbolizing that you will be rich and lucky in the new year. But some lady, they like rabbit steamed buns which is very cute for their child.
At Chinese New Year, steamed buns are not just a staple food that we usually eat anymore, but a way to look forward to and expect the New Year. The little rabbit’s steamed buns are meant to symbolize happiness, good luck, and reunion.
In Chinese culture, rabbits are regarded as auspicious animals that represent prosperity and good luck. Therefore, making buns in the shape of rabbits is meant to bring happiness and good luck. At the same time, the rabbit is also a symbolic representation of reunion and family, as it is often used in traditional Chinese festivals to bring about roundness and harmony in the family. Whether it’s during the Chinese New Year, Mid-Autumn Festival, or other important festivals, the little rabbit buns are a popular food that people will use as a symbol of blessing and celebration. There are many food can be enjoy in Chinese New Year, you can also try our wheel cake.
the rabbit is also a symbolic representation of reunion and family
When I was a kid, my mom used to make buns for me as breakfast. But I didn’t like steamed buns at that time, so my mom always put her mind to making buns into different cute shapes to attract me! And now that I’ve grown up, it’s my turn to do the same thing for my mom and my little sister! As an aside, my sister is super cute and we all love her!
Of all the different kinds of buns, my sister especially likes milky buns, and it just so happens that she was born in the year of the rabbit. So I thought I’d make her a milky little rabbits steamed buns for New Year’s Eve, which caters to her tastes and looks very pretty at the same time, and which I think she’d enjoy it. As expected by the time I was done with these buns, these cute little rabbits steamed buns were so sweet and fluffy. My sister can eat 3 of them at a time. The little girl even took some out to share with the kids next door, which made me smile to see how happy they were.
We also call it bunny bao because it is shaped like a rabbit, and it is usually filled with salty fillings such as pork and vegetables, or sweet fillings such as red bean paste. Besides, an adorable and playful element is added to the bun by the shape of a rabbit. During the making process, you can add some food coloring to the bunny buns to give them a cute pink or other color, and the appearance of the whole will be more lively and attractive.
Rabbit bao are often served as dim sum in Chinese cuisine. This bunny steamed buns is very innovative and I think both men and women should definitely find it adorable. We can make this kind of bunny. Don’t think that it may be very difficult to do. In fact, it is actually not difficult to do at all, it is very simple, just a few steps to make this kind of living and breathing bunny. Let’s learn it together.
The Lively Little Rabbits Steamed Buns
How do you steam buns over boiling water?
First, we have to add the right amount of water to the steamer and heat it until it comes to a boil. The right amount of water means that we would not make the pan or cooker burnout. If you don’t know the amount. Put more water into will be better.
Why is my steamed buns not fluffy?
The lack of fluff in steamed buns may be due to improper choice of flour. If you choose low-gluten flour or if the flour is not good quality, the steamed buns will tend to be hard. It is also possible that the yeast is not properly selected. If the amount of yeast used is insufficient or the yeast is of poor quality, the fermentation will not be adequate and the buns will not be fluffy.
In addition, if the fermentation time is too short, the dough will not fully rise and the steamed buns will be hard. It is also suggested to ferment in a warm environment, and the time should be adjusted according to the specific situation. Moreover, it should be noted that the kneading process needs to fully activate the viscosity of the gluten to make the dough softer. Steaming time will affect the texture of the steamed buns if it is too long or too short.
Generally speaking, the steaming time should be controlled at about 10-15 minutes, and the specific time should also be adjusted according to the size of the buns and the fermentation of the dough. You can check these problems one by one and adjust the production process to improve the fluffiness of the buns.
A cute bunny bun
How do you steam buns without a steamer?
If you don’t have a steamer, try adding the right amount of water to a pan, bring the water to a boil, place the buns in the pan. Then cover the pan and steam over medium or low heat for 10-15 minutes. Either place the buns in a heat-resistant bowl, then place the bowl in a large pot. Add the right amount of water, bring the water to a boil, cover the pot. And steam over low heat for 10-15 minutes.
Whichever method you use, you need to pay attention to the heat and the time, to avoid having the buns get sticky or undercooked. Or most straightforwardly, add the right amount of water to a large pot, bring the water to a boil, then place the buns on a steamer tray or plate, place it in the pot, cover, and steam over medium heat or low heat for 10-15 minutes.
Are steamed buns healthy?
As a staple food, the steamed bun is an important part of many people’s daily diet. It is made mainly from ingredients such as flour, water, and yeast and is relatively simple and easy to digest. The healthiness of steamed bread depends on its preparation process and matching ingredients.
In general, the bun itself is a relatively healthy food, but attention needs to a good choice of quality ingredients and a reasonable combination in the production and collocation to ensure its nutritional value and healthiness.
It can be served with a variety of ingredients such as soymilk, tofu, and vegetables to increase its nutritional value. Try to avoid adding too many unhealthy ingredients such as fat, sugar, and salt. Steamed buns can be made by steaming, boiling, or baking, but steaming can be relatively healthier. At the same time, control the amounts of food consumption to avoid too much intake.
Bunny buns with red eyes
How to Make Little Rabbits Steamed Buns
Step 1
As a start, let’s weigh about 200g of all-purpose flour, and after the flour is weighed, mix the yeast and milk together. We can add some sugar so that it will be easier to ferment, and the steamed buns will be a little more delicious after steaming. 
Step 2
Next, we pour the mixed milk and yeast into the flour and stir them with chopsticks to form a fluffy paste, then knead the dough with our hands and slowly pour the milk into it. Keep kneading until we get a smooth dough like the one in the picture.
get a smooth dough
Step 3
Cover the bowl with a wet cloth and allow the fermentation to take place until the dough is about double its original size.
Cover the bowl with a wet cloth
Step 4
Sprinkle our panel with some flour and take the dough out to let the air out, kneading until there are no visible air holes. Next, we roll the dough into a long strip, divide it into eight small doses, and knead it into a ball like the one in the picture.
Sprinkle our panel with some flour
Step 5
We take out a small dough and roll it into strips thin at both ends and thick in the middle. We press it with a fork to flatten the two ends a bit, and then we cut it in the middle with a knife to make a shape like the one in the picture, so that the rabbit’s front feet and ears are finished.
take out a small dough and roll it into strips thin at both ends and thick in the middle
Step 6
Then we use chopsticks to press to the front feet of the rabbit, and use our left hand to press the back of the dough forward. So that the rabbit head is also completed.
the rabbit head is also completed
Step 7
Lift the ears so that the body will roll up to the front. At the neck of the rabbit, press the ears down with a chopstick. It is a good idea to dip them in a bit of water, as it makes it easier to stick them together and they won’t crack when steaming them.
Lift the ears up so that the body will roll up to the front
Step 8
Simply arrange them again with your hands and add the little red beans to use as the bunny’s eyes, and the look is done.
the look is done
Step 9
The buns can be put into the steamer, and turn on the heat to steam for about ten minutes. After steaming, don’t take it out yet, let it simmer for a few minutes, and we have a nice-looking and tasty bunny bun that the kids will all really like.
The buns can be put into the steamer
Such delicious little rabbit steamed buns are completed. It’s really not hard to make it if you follow these steps. It still has the diffcult part that we need to use some food colouring to make it like the true ribbit. I think it will be fun if we let our children to do that.
Try rabbit steamed buns on your own if you are interested! If you have any problem about the cute bao, please let me know.
Cooking Tips:
1. Add a little sugar inside the flour, so that the fermentation will be easier.
2. When doing the fifth step, take the slightly longer end as the bunny bun’s head and the slightly shorter one as the ears.
3. Don’t open the steamer immediately after steaming, you need to open the steamer after a few minutes.
Little Rabbits Steamed Buns
Equipment(affiliate link)
Ingredients(affiliate link)
- 200 g all purpose flour
- 2 g yeast
- 50 ml milk
- 10 g red beans
Instructions
- As a start, let’s weigh about 200g of all-purpose flour, and after the flour is weighed, mix the yeast and milk together. We can add some sugar so that it will be easier to ferment, and the steamed buns will be a little more delicious after steaming.
- Next, we pour the mixed milk and yeast into the flour and stir them with chopsticks to form a fluffy paste, then knead the dough with our hands and slowly pour the milk into it. Keep kneading until we get a smooth dough like the one in the picture.
- Cover the bowl with a wet cloth and allow the fermentation to take place until the dough is about double its original size.
- Sprinkle our panel with some flour and take the dough out to let the air out, kneading until there are no visible air holes. Next, we roll the dough into a long strip, divide it into eight small doses, and knead it into a ball like the one in the picture.
- We take out a small dough and roll it into strips thin at both ends and thick in the middle. We press it with a fork to flatten the two ends a bit, and then we cut it in the middle with a knife to make a shape like the one in the picture, so that the rabbit’s front feet and ears are finished.
- Then we use chopsticks to press to the front feet of the rabbit, and use our left hand to press the back of the dough forward. So that the rabbit head is also completed.
- Lift the ears so that the body will roll up to the front. At the neck of the rabbit, press the ears down with a chopstick. It is a good idea to dip them in a bit of water, as it makes it easier to stick them together and they won’t crack when steaming them.
- Simply arrange them again with your hands and add the little red beans to use as the bunny’s eyes, and the look is done.
- The buns can be put into the steamer, and turn on the heat to steam for about ten minutes. After steaming, don’t take it out yet, let it simmer for a few minutes, and we have a nice-looking and tasty bunny bun that the kids will all really like.
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