Sin Wan Steamed Bun Introduction
Tsai Chong-ming (born in 1951) was originally an employee at the Taiwan Salt Corporation's Chiayi Salt Field. His wife is a tailor, sewing clothes for local residents to help with household expenses. Since the 1970s, the rise of ready-made garment factories greatly affected the tailoring business, leading to a significant decrease in income. To ensure that his wife could have a side job while taking care of the children to increase the family income, Tsai Chong-ming went to the Wushulin Salt Field in Kaohsiung to learn how to make buns and steamed buns from his brother and sister-in-law. His brother and sister-in-law were employees at the welfare department of the Wushulin Salt Field, and they learned from an older gentleman from mainland China who made buns and steamed buns to increase their income. After mastering the techniques of making buns and steamed buns, Tsai returned to Xinyuan and started selling them. Initially, his skills were not very proficient, so he sought advice from an older gentleman from mainland China known as "Haikongzi" at the Budai Service Station, constantly improving and innovating until he achieved the reputation he has today. His son, Tsai Cheng-en (born in 1979), returned to help and learn in 2010, and officially took over the business after getting married in 2014. The preparation for making buns and steamed buns begins the day before. In the afternoon of the previous day, the dough must be kneaded and allowed to rise. He gets up at 12:30 a.m. to knead again, then shapes the dough and places it in a fermentation box for a second rise, before putting them into the steamer to cook. The first batch comes out at 3 a.m....
