Can I make Shanghai-style fried buns at home? The secret is publicly revealed!

I believe many friends who have been to Shanghai have experienced the flavor of Shanghai pan-fried buns! This crispy and tender, juicy and delicious snack is not only the backbone of the breakfast industry in the Magic City, but also the favorite of countless tourists queuing up to check in. Don’t be fooled by its small size; with a gentle bite, the steaming hot broth can instantly capture your taste buds, making you unable to resist taking one bite after another and exclaiming ‘another cage!’!

But many people may be curious: can you make such delicious fried buns at home? Certainly. In fact, as long as you master a few key points, you can also make Shanghai-style fried buns that are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with overflowing soup. Today, let’s uncover how to easily replicate this classic food from the Magic City at home!

1. Ingredients for pan-fried buns

The deliciousness of pan-fried buns depends on three core elements: the softness and elasticity of the dough, the deliciousness and juiciness of the filling, and the crispy aroma at the bottom. To make authentic pan-fried buns at home, one must first put effort into selecting the right ingredients.

The skin of the pan-fried bun should not be too thick, otherwise it will affect the taste, nor should it be too thin, otherwise it will leak the soup. The fermentation of the dough must be in place for the texture to be soft.

The filling of traditional pan-fried buns is mainly pork, which can be frozen with an appropriate amount of chicken soup or broth to enhance the taste, allowing the buns to be bitten down and filled with delicious meat juice.

The most soulful part of the pan-fried bun is the crispy bottom layer. When frying, the heat should be controlled well, and the bottom should be evenly heated to create a perfect, crispy crust!

2. Steps

1. Rubbing dough

Dough is the foundation of pan-fried buns, and when kneading, it is important to control the amount of water to make a slightly softer dough. The formula is as follows:

300 grams of flour

3 grams of yeast

160 milliliters of warm water

5 grams of white sugar

5 milliliters of edible oil

2. Filling: Mix with water to make the meat filling tender and juicy

The filling of the pan-fried bun must be fresh, tender, and juicy, and the key is to stir it with water.

300 g pork filling (alternating fat and lean, recommended 3:7 ratio)

2 tablespoons of soy sauce

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

Moderate amount of white pepper powder

Ginger powder in moderation

Moderate amount of scallions

1 tablespoon of cooking wine

100ml chicken soup or broth (add in portions and stir to allow the meat filling to absorb more broth)

3. Packaging system

Take out the fermented dough, knead and exhaust it, cut it into small pieces, roll it into a round skin with a slightly thicker center and thinner edges, take an appropriate amount of meat filling and put it in the middle, and wrap it into small buns.

4. Frying

Brush a thin layer of oil in the pot, add the pan-fried bun with the bottom facing downwards, and fry over low heat until the bottom turns slightly yellow.

Add an appropriate amount of water (about one-third of the height of the steamed bun), cover the pot, and simmer for about 5-8 minutes.

When the soup is about to dry, sprinkle sesame seeds and chopped scallions on top, then fry on high heat for 30 seconds until the bottom turns golden and crispy, and then serve!

After the above efforts, a fragrant pan-fried bun is ready!

Making pan-fried buns at home is actually not difficult. As long as you master the three core elements of soft and tender dough, juicy filling, and crispy bottom, you can make pan-fried buns that feel as good as those in famous Shanghai stores!

If you are already eager to try, why not give it a try! Remember to take a photo and share it after finishing, and see if your pan-fried sauce can also “burst juice” successfully? Or if you have any exclusive ways to eat pan-fried buns, please feel free to discuss in the comments section. Let’s cheer for this national snack together!