Xuxu Water Fried Buns Introduction
Chen Shizong (born in 1960) started making and selling shui jian bao (pan-fried buns) at the age of 27. Initially, he sold them in Wushi, using a cart to sell the buns in nearby villages, returning home late at night. The price of a single shui jian bao started at 5 NTD. Since 2009, he has been selling at his current location. Xiangwu Shui Jian Bao uses all-purpose flour, with fillings that include pork, cabbage, spices, soybean sheets, carrots, and scallions. The process involves fermenting the flour and setting it aside. Pork is shredded and stir-fried with scallions, soybean sheets, and spices, then set aside. Cabbage and carrots are blanched, then stir-fried with scallion oil and seasonings, and set aside. Small pieces of fermented dough are flattened, filled with the stir-fried cabbage and pork, then wrapped to form the buns. In the afternoon, the buns are delivered to the market. In a hot pan, a small amount of salad oil is added, the buns are placed in the pan and flattened by hand. A mixture of flour and water (known as "粉水") is added, and they are pan-fried for about 6 minutes, flipped, and fried for another 4 minutes before being set aside. When customers purchase them, they are packed for takeout. Adding salad oil to the pan prevents the buns from sticking; the "粉水" is a mixture of flour and water.
