Pumpkin and dried shrimp buns

Put all-purpose flour, dry yeast, and lukewarm water into a bowl, and use chopsticks to stir into a flaky mixture.

Knead into a smoother dough, cover with a lid, and let it ferment in a warm place; since the water absorption of flour varies, the amount of water can be adjusted.

Prepare the pumpkin, dried shrimp, and scallions.

Peel and deseed the pumpkin, grate it finely, mix with 2 grams of salt, and let it sit for 10 minutes.

When the oil is heated to 40-50% hot, add the dried shrimp to the pan and sauté over low heat until slightly yellow. Do not fry until the color is too dark, as the dried shrimp will become bitter.

Turn off the heat, mix the chopped green onions with the dried shrimp, the residual heat will make the green onions fragrant.

Squeeze out the excess juice from the shredded pumpkin by hand, no need to use a cloth; roughly chop it a few times with a knife to shorten it; the bowl in the upper right corner contains the squeezed pumpkin juice; if you don't squeeze out the juice, the steamed buns are very likely to collapse or have a hard bottom.

Mix the shredded pumpkin with dried shrimp and chopped green onions, taste the saltiness, and then add a little more salt as needed.

Let the dough rise to about twice its original size; it should make a popping sound when gently tapped, and when lifted, the dough should have even air holes and stretch marks.

Knead the dough with some force for about 3 minutes until it is soft and delicate; roll it into long strips and cut into evenly sized pieces.

Press flat and roll into a round wrapper that is slightly thicker in the middle and thinner around the edges.

Put in as much filling as possible, because the pumpkin will become soft and collapsed after cooking, and it won't be fun to eat if the filling is too little.

Wrap the buns in your own way.

Place them in a steamer lined with a cloth, and lightly oil the silicone mat in advance to prevent sticking when lifting the lid; cover and let them undergo a second fermentation for about 20 minutes, adjusting the time according to the temperature inside the pot. The buns are ready to steam when they have grown 1.5-2 times their original size.

After bringing the buns to a boil over high heat, steam them for 15 minutes and then let them sit for 3 minutes before taking them out; they are white and tender, soft, fragrant, and juicy; this is the first way to eat buns—steaming.

The second way to eat them—pan-fried: Place the wrapped buns in an electric griddle with a lid that can cover both top and bottom, and cover them with a large piece of plastic wrap for the second fermentation.

When the buns are 1.5 times their original size, drizzle some oil on the surface and bottom (extra to the ingredients), and heat the tray.

Heat over medium fire, the buns gradually expand; when you hear a sizzling sound from the bottom, pick up the buns, and the bottoms will have a slightly yellow crispy base.

Pour half a cup of water to cover the bottom of the buns, place the lid on, and heat.

Adjust between medium and high heat until all the water has evaporated. When you hear a sizzling sound, open the lid. The buns are ready when both the top and bottom are slightly golden. The bun skin is crispy and the filling is tender; using the same ingredients, you can taste a different texture and flavor.

Steamed buns are fluffy and tender!

The pan-fried buns are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside!