Steamed Pork Buns

These are the first dim sum items I remember eating during my childhood, when my brother took me to our village teahouse. Called jing char siu bau in Cantonese, their history dates to when ovens were rare in China and most foods, including these buns, were cooked in steamers over a fire. It is one of the recipes that has never changed, and I expect never will. The filled buns soften and open like flowers as they steam.