Small steamed bun
Chinese
buns in general may be divided into two types, depending on the degree of
leavening of the flour skin. Steamed buns made with raised flour are seen
throughout China, and are what is usually referred to as baozi.
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Steamed buns
made with unraised flour are more commonly seen in the south. The Small steamed bun belongs to the
latter category. This means that its skin is smooth and somewhat translucent,
rather than being white and fluffy. The similarity of this appearance to that
of jiaozi ("dumpling") has meant that the Small steamed bun is sometimes classified as a dumpling outside
of China. It is, however, distinct from both steamed and boiled jiaozi in
texture and method of production.
Small steamed bun are traditionally filled with pork, but variations include other meats, seafood and vegetarian fillings, as well as other possibilities. The characteristic soup inside is created by wrapping solid meat gelatin inside the skin alongside the meat filling.
Heat from steaming then melts the gelatin into soup. In modern
times, refrigeration has made the process of making Small steamed bun during hot weather
easier, as one can use chilled gelatin which might otherwise be liquid at room
temperature.
