Chinese steamed buns are delicious plain and straight out of the steamer. But if you haven’t tried pan fried steamed buns, then you’re definitely missing out. Unlike steamed buns, pan fried buns have crispy, golden brown bottoms and are often served with a Chinese black vinegar dip. You start with fresh, raw homemade buns and you pan fry and steam cook them at the same time. (Next time, I will try doing this with frozen, raw buns and I will update this post at that time.)
In the photo below, I’ve shown most of the buns upside down, but when serving pan fried buns, you should plate them with the crispy bottom down.