Top Chef Chen Qiwen’s Ultimate Winter Warm-Up Guide: Nourish Your Skin, Hair & Vitality Against the Cold

▲ Chen Qiwen’s Ultimate Winter Warm-Up Guide by Chinese Pastry Expert (Photo provided by Riri Happiness, same below)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

Nov 7 is Lidong, the first solar term of winter, marking the beginning of the cold season. Traditionally, people take tonics with ingredients such as sesame oil chicken and black sesame—known as “winter tonics.” Chinese pastry expert Chen Qiwen, who won the “First Taipei Sesame Oil Chicken Creative Category,” shares his winning tonic recipes in a new book.

▲ A creative champion sesame oil chicken soup bun, filled with juicy chicken and noodles that burst with flavor in every bite—guaranteed to warm you up.

1. Champion Sesame Oil Chicken Soup Bun (provided by Riri Happiness)
Dough Ingredients:
175g cold water
3g salt
350g all-purpose flour

Filling
100g chicken broth
10g agar powder
50g white wheat noodles
200g diced chicken
10g ginger
20g black sesame oil
5g salt
5g white pepper

Method:
1. In a mixing bowl, combine cold water, all-purpose flour, and salt. Mix until evenly combined, then knead into a non-sticky dough. Cover with cling film and rest for 20 minutes to relax the dough.
2. In a saucepan, combine chicken broth and agar powder. Bring to a boil over high heat until agar dissolves. Remove from heat, pour into a deep container, let cool, then refrigerate for about 1 hour until firm. Remove and chop the agar jelly into small pieces.
3. Boil white wheat noodles in boiling water until they float to the surface. Drain and cut into short sections. Mix with diced chicken, chopped agar jelly, minced ginger, salt, white pepper, and black sesame oil to form the chicken-noodle filling.
4. Divide the dough into 10g portions. Roll each into a 6cm diameter round. Wrap 12g of chicken-noodle filling inside, shape into a bun, pinch the opening tightly, and repeat until all buns are assembled.
5. Place a sheet of steamer paper at the bottom of the steamer basket. Arrange the buns in the steamer, cover, and steam over medium heat for 12 minutes until cooked.

Champion Chef’s Foolproof Tips:
1. If steaming refrigerated buns, steam over high heat for 10 minutes to reheat before eating.
2. Chop the chicken jelly as finely as possible for easier wrapping.

▲ Traditional Chinese medicine says winter is the season to nourish kidneys. Black sesame benefits kidney health—turn it into pan-fried buns with a crispy crust and fragrant filling. These buns not only support kidney function and skin health, but also help nourish your hair.

II. Black Sesame Kidney-Tonifying Pan-Fried Buns
Dough Ingredients:
300g cold water
7g instant yeast
450g all-purpose flour
50g black sesame powder

Filling
400g napa cabbage (finely diced)
300g ground pork
10g soy sauce
7g salad oil
15g minced ginger
7g sesame oil
30g chopped scallions
10g salt
10g toasted white sesame seeds

Instructions:
1. Pour cold water and instant yeast into a mixing bowl. Stir until the yeast dissolves. Add sifted all-purpose flour and baking powder, mix well, then knead into a smooth, non-sticky dough. This is the yellow dough. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes to relax the dough.
2. Place napa cabbage in a mixing bowl. Add 5g salt, mix by hand until the cabbage releases its liquid, then squeeze out excess moisture. Mix the ground pork with the remaining 5g salt and beat until sticky. Add soy sauce, sesame oil, and salad oil, stir well. Finally, mix in minced ginger, chopped cabbage, and chopped scallions until evenly combined to form the filling.
3. Divide the dough into 30g portions. Roll each portion into a 7cm round disc. Place 30g of filling in the center, wrap into a ball shape, and pinch the edges tightly to seal.
4. Let the buns rest for 30 minutes until they double in size. Pan-fry them in a skillet for 24 minutes, adding 40g of water halfway through. Steam-fry until cooked. Just before removing from heat, sprinkle with toasted white sesame seeds.

Champion Chef’s Foolproof Tips:
1. During proofing, gently touch the dough surface. If it feels airy and puffy, it’s fully proofed.
2. When pan-frying, if there’s still water left in the pan, open the lid to let it evaporate. This will ensure the bottom of the buns turns crispy.

▲ Chinese dim sum master Chef Chen Qiwen shares his champion winter tonic recipe in his new book “Golden Recipes from a Master Chef: Chinese Pasta & Dim Sum” (Photo / Provided by Daily Happiness)