Name: How to Fold Hua Juan {Chinese Flower Rolls} Quick Easy Classic Way?
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 1 h 28 min
Yield: 16
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 660 grams all-purpose flour, about 4 cups, organic unbleached; 25 grams avocado oil; 1/4 tsp Himalayan salt; 15 grams organic cane sugar; 12 grams active dry yeast; 370 grams water, about 1 1/2 cups, approximate, 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. In terms of how to fold Hua Juan, there are many ways. Most of them either require very large countertop and skilled & labored dough rolling process. Don’t worry, I am going to show you an extremely quick, easy way that deals with one Hua Juan at a time and doesn’t require much rolling at all.

Fold Chinese Flower Rolls Quick Easy Way — Freshly Folded Chinese Flower Rolls Quick Easy Way

Prepare dough and scallion filling for making Chinese Flower Rolls

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.

Scallion, Black Pepper and Salt Paste for Cong You Bing and Hua Juan

How to fold Hua Juan Easy and Quick Step-by-Step Tutorial

Fold Hua Juan Step 1 – Roll each Hua Juan portion of yeast dough into a thin flat sheet

For 660 grams of flour (about 4 cups) used in this recipe, you can make about 13 jumbo Flower Rolls. I usually go this way. If you prefer a smaller regular muffin-sized Hua Juan, then divide the dough into about 16 equal portions.

For each portion, gently knead and then use both hands to press into a thick rectangular dough slab.

Then use a rolling pin to roll each dough slab into a thin sheet. It is OK if one or both ends are slightly narrower compared to the middle.

Step 2 is to season the dough sheet

Add the scallion black pepper paste, a teaspoonful at a time onto the dough sheet. Use a mini silicone spatula to spread out evenly across the dough sheet. Sprinkle finely chopped green onions.

Step 3: Cut the seasoned dough sheet vertically into strips, while leaving the top still connected

Use a dough cutter press down and cut the dough into relatively thin strips. Remember to leave one end to remain connected.

Step 4: Swirl and twist the dough strips

Use one hand hold the connected end of the dough sheet, use the other hand to pinch together the dough strips on the other end, and then swirl and twist all strips together.

Step 5: Wrap twisted dough strips into a bun to fold Hua Juan

While one hand holds one end of the twisted strips, use the other hand to wrap in a circular motion around into a bun. Tug the ends in the center hole area. Gently pinch ends together to make sure they stay in place.

Hooray! You just learned to fold Chinese Flower Roll {Hua Juan} easy classic way!

Like buns? Remember to check out the naturally yummy and healthy Blue Corn Steamed Buns {Chinese Mantou}.

Freshly Folded Chinese Flower Rolls Quick Easy Way

How to Fold Hua Juan {Chinese Flower Rolls} Quick Easy Classic Way?

Yield: 16 Hua Juan

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Additional Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 18 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 28 minutes

Chinese Flower Rolls, or Hua Juan {花卷}, are soft steamed buns shaped like a flower. Learn to fold Hua Juan in an extremely quick, easy way that deals with one Hua Juan at a time and doesn’t require much rolling at all.

Ingredients

For the yeast dough:

660 grams all-purpose flour, about 4 cups, organic unbleached
25 grams avocado oil
1/4 tsp Himalayan salt
15 grams organic cane sugar
12 grams active dry yeast
370 grams water, about 1 1/2 cups, approximate, 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 on how to make a basic 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.
Prepare the steamer. Cut a large dried bamboo leave into about 2.5-inch long and place 8 of them in the 12-inch bamboo steamer evenly.
Divide the dough into 16 equal portions. A 12-inch bamboo steamer can steam about 8 buns.
For each portion, gently knead and use hand to press into a thick rectangular dough slab.
Then use a rolling pin to roll each dough slab into a thin sheet. It is OK if one or both ends are slightly narrower compared to the middle.
Add the scallion black pepper paste, a teaspoonful at a time onto the dough sheet. Use a mini silicone spatula to spread out evenly across the dough sheet. Sprinkle finely chopped green onions.
Use a dough cutter press down and cut the dough into relatively thin strips. Remember to leave one end to remain connected.
Use one hand hold the connected end of the dough sheet, use the other hand to pinch together the dough strips on the other end, and then swirl and twist all strips together.
While one hand holds one end of the twisted strips, use the other hand to wrap in a circular motion around into a bun. Tug the ends in the center hole area. Gently pinch ends together to make sure they stay in place.
Hooray! You just learned how to fold Chinese Flower Rolls easy classic way.

Notes

I use metric unit gram for easier and accurate measurement.
Use a kitchen scale with the "TARE" function to easily measure ingredients in an incremental fashion and add to the 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 all of the 370 grams of water. I only used entire 370 grams of water during extremely dry Chicago winter time.
Go slow adding additional water after having added half water from the measuring cup. Add a bit of water at a time and then knead the dough to 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 inner side, and then press together. Do this a few times to help the flour absorb the water faster. Go extra slow adding water toward the end, 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.

I found it is easy to roll and cut the dough sheet on a pastry dough mat. The dough won't stick to the mat so that you can easily pick it up for folding the Hua Juan.