Chinese flower rolls with scallions (Hua Juan, 花卷)

How to make the perfect dough

The dough for the flower rolls is based on my quick & easy recipe of Mantou which uses both yeast and baking powder as raising agents. For making 6 rolls, you will need:

• 250g all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1 teaspoon dried active yeast
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 130ml lukewarm water

All-purpose flour works fine

What it comes to flour-based recipes, I’m often asked “What type of flour shall I use” or “Do I have to use special flour for dumplings/buns”. My answer to these questions is: the most accessible all-purpose flour works perfectly.

All-purpose flour (aka plain flour) usually has a medium level of gluten (10-11g protein per 100g flour) which produces a fluffy, yet a little chewy, texture. In some countries, eg. Canada or Switzerland, all-purpose flour has a higher gluten content. Add a little cornstarch (10%) to the flour if you prefer fluffier rolls.

In Chinese/Asian stores, you may find flour labelled as special flour for steamed buns/bao. It has a low gluten level thus produces fluffy buns. As it’s highly processed and bleached, the flower rolls made of this type of flour would look much whiter.

Rest the dough once only

Unlike the traditional way of making steamed buns, my dough recipe calls for both yeast and baking powder. This alteration largely reduces the dough resting time.

Once a smooth dough is formed, you can shape the flower rolls straight away. Then leave to rest for 30 minutes before cooking.

How to make a tasty filling

What makes flower rolls different from Plain Steamed Buns? It’s the tasty filling between each layer of dough. Like the popular Scallion Pancakes, my flower rolls are seasoned with similar ingredients: finely chopped scallions, ground spice (Chinese five-spice powder or ground Sichuan pepper), salt and a little oil.

It’s fine to simply mix all four ingredients then brush onto the dough. However, I like adding one more step to make the filling even tastier: heat up the oil then pour over the scallions. The heat will release more aroma out of the scallions. Or, if you have a jar of Homemade Scallion Oil at hand, mix it with ground spice and salt, then brush onto the dough.

Don’t have either Chinese five-spice or Sichuan pepper? Use ground black pepper instead. Or, create your own combination of herbs & spices. 

How to shape the rolls

There aren’t any set rules on how you should layer and shape flower rolls. As I’m quite obsessed with the appearance of my food, I’ve tried many different methods over the years. The particular one used in this recipe is neat, effective and creates a beautiful look.

It’s an easy method to master. The other day, my 7-year-old daughter watched me making flower rolls for filming the tutorial video. She quickly picked up the idea and shaped another batch of rolls on her own. 

This is how I shape them step by step (please refer to the tutorial video):

1. Dust some flour over the worktop. Roll the dough into a thin, rectangle shape (about 20cm×30cm). Evenly coat the dough with the filling.

2. From the long side of the rectangle, fold the dough twice making it a three-layer strip. Then cut it into 12 pieces.

3. Stack up two pieces. Use a chopstick to press the middle line lengthways. Hold both ends then stretch.

4. Hang it over the chopstick. With one hand pinch and hold both ends. With the other hand twist the chopstick.

5. Put the roll on the worktop, press the chopstick then slide it out of the roll.

Two ways to cook flower rolls

Traditional method: steaming

As I mentioned above, flower rolls are a type of Chinese steamed bun. So they are usually cooked in a steamer basket. Here is the procedure:

Inspired by Pan-fried Pork Buns, I sometimes fry my flower rolls as I adore the golden, crispy crust. I highly recommend you try this method, especially if you don’t own a steamer.

1. Line the basket with a piece of steamer parchment paper, or brush a thin layer of oil if using a metal steamer. Then place flower rolls on top.
2. Fill the steamer pot with cold water. Put in the basket with a lid. Start cooking over high heat.
3. When the water boils, turn down the heat to medium-low. From this moment, count 10 minute cooking time.

Creative method: pan-frying

1. Add oil to a frying pan over high heat. Place in the rolls leaving ample space in between.
2. When the bottom of the rolls turn brown, pour in 200ml water. Cover with a lid.
3. Uncover when the water has completely evaporated. Turn off the heat after 20 seconds or so.

How to store & reheat

My recipe makes 6 flower rolls which fit in a medium-sized bamboo steamer. If you have a multi-layer steamer at hand, I encourage you to cook a bigger batch at a time. They keep well in the freeze and can be reheated easily.

Once completely cooled, place the flower rolls in an airtight container/plastic bag. Keep in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

For reheating, simply steam fridge-kept rolls for 5 mins. If frozen, steam for 7 mins (no need to defrost beforehand).

What to serve with flower rolls

I enjoy flower rolls at breakfast, with a bowl of congee and some preserved vegetable or fermented bean curd. My children love eating them as an after school snack. Very often, we have them as the staple for dinner, along with several savoury dishes and probably a tasty soup too.