Name: Chinese Flower Rolls {Hua Juan 花卷} Recipe
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 20
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 660 grams of all-purpose flour, about 4 cups, organic unbleached; 25 grams of avocado oil; 1/4 tsp Himalayan salt; 15 grams of organic cane sugar; 4 tsp active dry yeast powder; 335 grams water, about 1 1/2 cups, additional 35 g of water might be neede, see notes; 4 tbsp avocado oil; 4 tbsp organic all-purpose flour; 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground; 1 tsp Himalayan pink salt; 4 stalks of green onions, finely chopped

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Chinese Flower Rolls, or Hua Juan {花卷}, are soft steamed buns shaped like a flower. Infused with salt, spices and scallions, Hua Juan is so fluffy and yummy. They are one of the most loved traditional food in China, which is especially popular as a breakfast item.

Freshly Folded Chinese Flower Rolls {Hua Juan 花卷}

Ingredients required for Chinese Flower Rolls {Hua Juan}

For the dough, all you need is all-purpose flour (organic preferred), active dry yeast powder, avocado oil, Himalayan pink salt, organic unrefined cane sugar and water.

Ingredients for Easy Fluffy Dough for Chinese Buns

For the filling, you will need salt, which I usually use Himalayan Pink Salt, freshly ground black pepper and cooking oil. Avocado oil is my go-to healthy, tasty oil for baking.

Tips for fluffy dough – dissolve active dry yeast powder in water beforehand

Active dry yeast works great for an easy and fluffy dough. I usually buy a one-pound package and store it in an air-tight glass jar in the freezer.

Remember to dissolve the active dry yeast powder in room temperature water. Mix well until the mixture turns into a smooth paste. Make sure no lumps. Do not skip this step, which is essential to the fluffy dough.

Make a smooth active yeast paste for a fluffy yeast dough

How to make Hua Juan {Chinese Flower Rolls}?

It is super easy to make a fluffy, tasty and healthy Hua Juan {花卷} as long as you learn a few tips.

The first is to prepare fluffy yeast dough and scallion filling

To make Hua Juan, you will need the yeast dough, the finely chopped green onions, and the scallion black pepper paste as a filling.

You can use the same easy healthy yeast dough for steamed buns. Read here for a detailed guided recipe.

As for the scallion black pepper paste, I use the same simple healthy yummy version used for the iconic Cong You Bing, or Chinese Scallion Pancakes.

The Second is to fold Chinese Flower Rolls {Hua Juan}

I use a super quick easy way of folding Hua Juan which deals with one Hua Juan at a time and involves very little rolling. Read here for a detailed step-by-step tutorial.

Fold Hua Juan {Chinese Flower Rolls} Quick Easy Way — Freshly Folded Chinese Flower Rolls {Hua Juan 花卷}

The Third is to steam Chinese Flower Rolls

A 14-inch wok paired with a 12-inch bamboo steamer is my go-to steamer set. Add about 6 cups of water into the wok or the steamer of your choice. Bring it to a boil first and then add Hua Juan and steam for 15 minutes.

Once it is done, turn off the heat. Wait for about 2 minutes before uncovering the steamer.

Enjoy a fluffy and delicious Chinese Flower Rolls.

freshly steamed Chinese Flower Rolls {Hua Juan}

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Chinese Flower Rolls {Hua Juan 花卷} Recipe

Yield: 20 flower rolls

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Additional Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 2 hours

Chinese Flower Rolls, or Hua Juan {花卷}, are soft steamed buns shaped like a flower. Infused with salt, spices, and scallions, Hua Juan is so fluffy and yummy. They are one of the most loved traditional food in China and is especially popular as a breakfast item.

Ingredients

For the Dough:

660 grams of all-purpose flour, about 4 cups, organic unbleached
25 grams of avocado oil
1/4 tsp Himalayan salt
15 grams of organic cane sugar
4 tsp active dry yeast powder
335 grams water, about 1 1/2 cups, additional 35 g of water might be neede, see notes

For the filling:

4 tbsp avocado oil
4 tbsp organic all-purpose flour
1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
1 tsp Himalayan pink salt
4 stalks of green onions, finely chopped

Instructions

Prepare the Dough:

Read here re on how to make an easy yummy yeast dough for Chinese buns.

Prepare the Filling:

Read here on how to prepare a tasty scallion filling. This is the same filling used for the well-liked Chinese scallion pancakes.

Fold Hua Juan:

Read here on how to fold Hua Juan quickly and easily. This recipe can make about 20 flower rolls with each roll using about 50 g of dough.

Steam Hua Juan:

Add about 6 cups of water to a 14-inch wok, cover the lid, turn the heat to medium-high and bring it to a boil.
Add Hua Juan and steam for 15 minutes.
Turn off the heat, and wait about 2 minutes to uncover the lid.

Notes

For the unit of measurement, I use a combination of the metric system and US customary units for practical reasons. For instance, for flour, it is easy and much more accurate to measure in grams. For active dry yeast powder or spices, it is better to use a teaspoon.
Use a kitchen scale with the "TARE" function to easily measure ingredients in an incremental fashion while adding them to the same mixing bowl.
The humidity level in the environment plays an important role in determining the ultimate amount of water required to form a soft dough. Most likely you may not need the entire 335 grams of water. However, if you are in an extremely dry environment, like some dry Chicago wintertime, I recall I used up to 370 grams of water.
Go slow adding additional water after having added half water from the measuring cup. Add a bit of water at a time and then use both hands to pull the dough apart and then force them together. This will allow the flour to absorb the water. Do not add water too much too fast.
If the dough appears to be dry after you have added most of the water, patiently break down the dough to expose the inner side, and then press it together. Do this a few times to help the flour absorb the water faster. Go extra slow adding water toward the end, a few drops at a time.
I use bamboo leaves as a coaster for the bun to sit on during the steaming. You can also use the unbleached parchment paper. Remember to use scissors to cut a few holes first. I have to say I really like the buns steamed on bamboo leaves and using a bamboo steamer, they have a special bamboo aroma.
I found it easy to roll and cut the dough sheet on a pastry dough mat. The dough won't stick to the mat so you can easily pick it up for folding the Hua Juan.
Each of these 12-inch bamboo steamer can hold about 10 buns, so this two-tiered bamboo steamer is perfect to steam the 20 buns at once. Also,

Hua Juan is freezer friendly. You can store the cooked Hua Juan in a freezer zip lock bag for up to 3 months. Make sure you squeeze the air out first. It is even better when you vacuum pack for the freezer.