Green Onion Buns

I'm in love, in love with bun-making that is. Maybe it's similar to people who love making bread. I get a sheer joy out of watching the dough rise and the sweet yeast smell in the air. Today, I didn't feel like making any red bean paste, so I made green onion buns instead (HuaJuan). (OK, you caught me, it's not that I didn't feel like having some red bean paste, it's just this was a last minute thing, so I didn't soak any beans last night. =P)

Green Onion Buns

Makes 8

3 green onion, finely chopped
½ tsp salt
oil

Dough
300g flour (about 2 ½ cup) + more for dusting the working surface
pinch of salt
1 tbsp + 1 tsp sugar
1 tsp dry active yeast
150g warm water (100F - 110F)

You make the doughs just like the Red Bean Paste Buns.

Work with half of the dough at a time. Roll the dough out to a rectangle about 9-10 inches wide, 12-13 inches long, ⅛ inches thick. Brush with a little bit of oil, sprinkle half of the salt and green onions evenly. (Use the salt and oil sparingly.)

Fold the dough along the width to thirds, forming a long 3 inch wide strip. Pinch the seam. Cut along the length to 8 1½ inch sections. Stack 2 pieces together, seam side inward. Using a flour-dusted chopstick, lengthwise (cut sides facing out) press down hard in the middle of the dough without cutting through. Pick up the dough, pull the two folded sides down, and pinch together at the bottom.

Repeat with the rest of the dough.

Let the buns rest for at least 30 minutes. Steam for 15 minutes.

There are many ways to shape/fold green onion buns. You can roll. You can twist. I found this method quite simple with nice results.