Sink your teeth into these fluffy and scrumptious steamed pork buns! It’s like biting into a soft cloud that’s bursting with flavour. These are a Japanese style steamed pork bun that are stuffed with a pork mince filling that have a more subtle flavour palette than their Chinese counterpart.
They are a delicious and a healthy snack or meal when eaten in moderation. Although I know this is hard to do because they’re too delicious to resist!
What are Steamed Pork Buns?
Steamed pork buns, known as ‘Nikuman’ or ‘Butaman’ in Japanese, are very soft steamed buns filled with a pork mince mixture. They originated in China and were then adapted into Japanese cuisine where they were given the name “Nikuman”. This name is derived from the word “niku” meaning meat, and “manju” which comes from the Chinese word “mantou” for steamed bun.
They are also sometimes known as Butaman (“buta” means pork), but this name is more common in the Kansai area of Japan. The Chinese version of these buns are called char siu bao and are typically made using BBQ char siu style pork as the filling.
However, the Japanese version uses a pork mince filling similar to gyoza. The pork mince is seasoned with a blend of green onions, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, and more to give it a super delicious asian flavour.
Steamed pork buns are usually a street food in Asian countries or served at yum cha restaurants. In Japan, you can find them at food markets, grocery stores, and convenience stores like 7-Eleven and Lawson. These buns have become so popular nowadays that you can often buy them frozen in supermarkets around the world now too.
What Are Steamed Pork Buns Made From?
To make soft, fluffy steamed buns, you’ll need all purpose flour, instant dry yeast, sugar, salt, milk and sesame seed oil. And for the delicious flavourful pork filling, you’ll need ground pork meat, chopped scallions, soy sauce, sake, grated ginger, sesame seed oil.
How To Make Steamed Pork Buns?
The timeline of making steamed pork buns are as follows and the detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Make a dough for buns.
- While the dough is rising, make the filling.
- Wrap the filling with the dough.
- Steam the buns.
What Equipment Do I Need?
As you have most likely seen before, pork buns are usually made in a Bamboo Steamer Basket. However, if you don’t have one of these, don’t worry because I will explain other options. If you do have a bamboo steamer then great! The only other things you will need are parchment paper, a pot, and a gauze/muslin cloth. This cloth will help to absorb the excess moisture and ensure that the buns do not get soggy. Now, if you do not have a bamboo steamer then you can use any other type of steamer (steel, etc) or steam them in a regular fry pan or in an instant pot.
How To Make Steamed Pork Buns Without a Steamer?
Now, if you do not have a bamboo steamer then you can use any other type of steamer (steel, etc) or steam them in a regular fry pan or in an instant pot.
Using a frying pan
If you are using a frying pan, heat vegetable oil in the frying pan over medium heat and place buns 0.8-1 inch (2-3cm) apart. When the bottom of the bun is browned, pour 2/3 cup of water into the pan, place a lid on it to let the buns steam for 2-3 minutes. Remove the lid, turn the heat down and fry for a further 5-6 minutes or until all the liquid evaporates. Turn the heat to high and make the bottom crunchy for a minute.
Using a instant pot
Everyone’s instapot is different so please refer to your instant pot instruction for steaming. Basically, add 1 cup of water into the inner pot of the instant pot and place the steaming rack inside. Place the buns in the steaming rack on a plate. Place the lid on making sure your steam release valve is in the ‘sealing’ position. Choose the ‘steam’ function to steam for 5 minutes. Release the pressure and open the lid.
What To Serve With Steamed Pork Buns?
I usually serve it with just simply with any type of Japanese tea such as Hojicha. Also it is good served with pickled vegetables like pickled daikon, rice bran pickled vegetables called Nukaduke, or pickled ginger.
Related Recipes
How to Store Steamed Pork Buns?
Butaman is best served fresh, though sometimes you make a little bit too many and need to store. Well, you can easily. You can store Butaman after steamed. Cooldown the pork buns completely, then wrap the buns with a cling wrap sheet tightly. It will keep for about a month. Reheat the buns in a microwave for 1-2 minutes, or re-steam in the same way you cooked the buns.
FAQ
A: No they are not. The buns and soy sauce in the filling contain gluten. To make this gluten free, replace the flour with gluten free flour and use gluten free soy sauce for the fillings.
Recipe Measurement
- To alter the serving size click on the serving number and move the slider left or right to adjust the quantity.
- As you move the slider the quantities of the ingredients will adjust accordingly in both imperial and metric measurements.
Ingredients
Buns
- 150 g plain flour 1 cup + 2 tbsp + 2 tsp
- 1/2 tsp instant dry yeast *1
- 2 tbsp sugar
- a pinch salt
- 80 ml lukewarm milk 1/3 cup *2
- 1 tbsp sesame seed oil
Filling
- 100 g pork mince 1/2 cup
- 1/4 cup finely chopped scallions
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 1 tbsp sake
- 1/2 tbsp sesame seed oil
- 1/2 tsp soy sauce *3
- a pinch salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp salad oil for frying
Instructions
- Sift flour into a mixing bowl. Make a well in the flour and place the instant dry yeast and sugar. Pour the lukewarm milk and combine all together.
- Add sesame seed oil and salt into the bowl and knead with your hand.
- When all the ingredients have combined well, form a ball and wrap it with cling wrap. Let it rise for about 1 hour or the ball size doubles. *4
- While the dough is resting, make the filling.
- Place all ingredients for filling in a mixing bowl and combine and knead until the mixture becomes sticky.
- Divide the mixture into 6 even portions and shape into round mince patties. Set them aside.
- When the dough has doubled in size, Place it on the floured board and cut it into 6 equal size.
- Shape each dough to a round circle. Squash each with your palm. Pinch the edge of the dough with your finger tips and put another hand on a rolling pin. Roll the rolling pin to the centre of the dough, press and pull the rolling pin to your front and rotate the dough 30 degrees. Repeat this process till the dough roll outs to 4 inch (10cm) in diameter.
- Place the rolled dough on your palm, and put the mince pattie on top of it.
- Grab a point on the edge of the dough and put the thumb on the point as a pivot point, draw and make pleats with the index finger by moving the dough in a clockwise direction. Close the opening with the thumb and index finger tightly at the end. Repeat the process for 5 other doughs.
- Place each buns onto a parchment paper.
- Place 2-3 buns 0.8-1.2 inch (2-3cm) apart into a bamboo steamer lined with muslin cloth.
- Put lid on and steam the buns on a pot of boiling water for 15 minutes.
- Turn the heat off and serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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martin says
might want to check the conversion says 1/2 a tsp of yeast to make 6 buns
or if you use Cups as a measuring tool it says 50 Cups???
that doesn’t seem to add up
RE says
Haven’t tried to make these yet so I cannot give a rating, but I have a question before I do: the salad oil listed in the filling ingredients is not used in the video, may I assume that this is a mistake and should be omitted?
Looking forward to trying them!
Thanks!
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Hi RE, no it is not mistake, I probably forgot to film the part.
Lady Beauregard says
It it a 12 inch or 8inch bamboo steamer that works best for these?
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Hi Lady Beauregard, I don’t think the size of bamboo steamer does not make much difference.
ay says
is the 1tbsp of sesame oil in the dough a typo? I followed your recipe and my dough turned out a complete slop of oily mess
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Sorry to hear Ay that your dough did not work for you, but it is not a typo. What type of flour did you use?
K says
I’m a bit confused — I’ve made this recipe several times now, and when I came back to this page to reference it the recipe had changed. I wish I had written down the original because it worked well and didn’t require yeast.
just some guy says
love butaman, cant keep me away from horai 551
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Ohhhhh is there horai551 in UK?
just some guy says
I live in Osaka!
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Lucky you. I am from Wakayama pref. 😀
pablo says
amazing recipe i love it
Chopstick Chronicles says
Thank you! <3
Aria Smith says
These look absolutely fabulous!! Seems like such a delicious recipes! Thanks for sharing.
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
You are welcome 😀 Douitashimashite.
Adam says
I just made these with a few changes and they came out very well. Thanks for sharing your recipe! I have a few questions though. In the ingredients for the buns you list 2 tablespoons of sugar. Did you mean 2 teaspoons? I ended up using 2 teaspoons because 2 tablespoons of sugar seemed like it’d be way too sweet and, as I’m eating one right now, I do think it would indeed be too sweet.
My other question is, in step 13 you say to cook the buns until all of the water evaporates. Is it safe to assume that you should take off the lid at that point? Again, I’m assuming that that is the case as otherwise they’d be cooking for at least 20 min (with a well fitting lid) but I’m not sure.
Thanks!
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Konnichiwa Adam 😀 Yes I add 2tbs of sugar. I like sweet buns 😀 and did not think the buns were too sweet. It’s great if 2tsp worked for you and thank you for letting me know about step 13. Yes you are right you need to take the lid off and I certainly did. I will fix the process. Thank you so much 😀 Happy cooking Japanese food!
Lin says
I would like to try these, they look delicious. I am interested to taste the Japanese flavor as I know the Chinese buns. I never thought they could be easy. The crisp underside sounds like a great addition too.
However, I wish you had been able to demonstrate step 7 as I find the explanation very unclear. Pinch the edge of the dough with your fingertips and put your other hand on the rolling pin…what does this mean? Are you holding the dough in place or pinching it all around like pie dough in the plate? Is the dough hard to roll? Are you rolling with one hand only? I just don’t understand. And step 9 is a little bit clearer, I think maybe I know what you are doing but a photo would help or a drawing.
Please help! Thank you?
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Hi Lin, Thank you for your comment, I will take photos of steps next time I make it soon as I make this often for my children. You pinch the edge of the dough with the left hand( I am right-handed) and roll the pin with your right hand and keep rotating the dough with your left hand that pinching the dough. 😀
Lin says
That will be really helpful to demonstrate with photos next time you make! I will wait to try when I see the photos but the above explanation does help more. Thank you!
Sue says
Thank you Shihoko for this recipe! I didn’t realise Japan had a version of the Chinese steamed pork buns as I’ve not seen it in any Japanese restaurants so far. I can’t wait to make these as my son adores the Chinese ones and I have made them once or twice but usually buy them then steam at home. I do have a large double and a small double layered bamboo steamer basket I use over a wok ever though I’m Aussie 😉 I have to make these for sure. He prefers Japanese food usually so I can’t wait to see what he thinks.
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
You are welcome, Sue. 😀 Hope your son will like them <3