Don’t worry about pumpkin dishes for Halloween—master chefs teach you how to serve them for just 5 yuan!

▲ Pumpkin snacks that cost only five yuan. (Photo / Provided by Daily Happiness Publishing, same below.)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

When you think of Halloween, “pumpkin” is absolutely essential—but what other dishes can you make with pumpkin besides pumpkin pie? This time, Chef Chen Qiwen, who has been in the industry for 20 years, will show you in his new book “Expert-Guided Golden Recipes: Chinese Noodles and Pastries” how to create delicious pumpkin snacks for just a 5-yuan cost!

▲ A pumpkin-shaped bun costs only 5 yuan per piece, with a chewy skin and filling full of natural pumpkin sweetness.

Pumpkin-Shaped Bun

Ingredients: Cold water 275g, instant yeast 6g, all-purpose flour 500g, baking powder 7g, soybean flour 10g, caster sugar 50g, white oil 10g, edible yellow food coloring 1g, cold water 30g, green dough: cold water 28g, instant yeast 1g, all-purpose flour 50g, baking powder 1g, soybean flour 1g, caster sugar 5g, white oil 1g, edible yellow food coloring 0.5g, filling: pumpkin 300g, sugar 30g, white bean paste 400g

Method:
1. Pour cold water and instant yeast into a mixing bowl, stir until the yeast dissolves. Add sifted all-purpose flour and baking powder, then add soybean flour, caster sugar, white oil, and edible yellow food coloring. Mix well and knead into a non-sticky dough (the yellow dough). Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes to relax.
2. Pour cold water and instant yeast into a mixing bowl, stir until the yeast dissolves. Add sifted all-purpose flour and baking powder, then add soybean flour, caster sugar, white oil, and edible green food coloring. Mix well and knead into a non-sticky dough (the green dough). Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes to relax.
3. Peel, seed, and slice the pumpkin, steam until soft, mash it, and mix in 30g of sugar. Combine the pumpkin mash with white bean paste, mix well, and divide into 33g portions.
4. Take the yellow dough, roll it into a log, then divide into 40g pieces. Roll the green dough into thin strips and cut into 21 small pieces to be used as pumpkin stems.
5. Flatten each yellow piece into a 7cm round, wrap one pumpkin bean paste filling, seal into a ball, pinch the seam tightly, press four straight lines on the surface, poke a small hole in the center with a chopstick, insert a green stem, and repeat for all buns.
6. Place a piece of steamer paper under each bun, arrange in a steamer, cover, and let rest for 30 minutes until the dough doubles in size. Steam over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes until cooked, then remove.

Zero-Fail Tips:
★ Pumpkin mash is moist and naturally sweet, so some white bean paste is added to adjust the softness and firmness, making the filling slightly firmer for easier wrapping.
★ If making pumpkin filling from scratch, add sugar while the pumpkin is still hot.

▲ Pumpkin Patties can be pan-fried without a mixer or oven—perfect for moms at home to achieve a golden, crispy texture.

Pumpkin Patties

Ingredients: Cold water 65g, all-purpose flour 250g, boiling water 100g, salt 2g, pumpkin 450g, sugar 20g

Method:
1. Place all-purpose flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Pour boiling water over the flour while stirring with a dough scraper to form a snowflake-like texture. Then add cold water, mix well, and knead into a non-sticky dough. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 20 minutes.
2. Peel, seed, and slice the pumpkin, steam in a rice cooker until cooked, mash, and mix in sugar while hot. Let cool to form the pumpkin filling.
3. Divide the dough into 40g pieces, roll into 10cm diameter rounds, wrap about 40g of pumpkin filling, shape into a bun, pinch the seam tightly, complete all patties, and slightly flatten them.
4. Heat a non-stick pan, brush with a bit of salad oil (not included in recipe), place the patties in the pan, and pan-fry over medium-low heat for about 8 minutes until golden on one side.
5. Flip and continue frying until both sides are golden and fully cooked.

Zero-Fail Tips:
★ During frying, cover the pan to help the outer edges cook faster.

These simple and low-cost pumpkin dishes are perfect for showcasing your culinary skills during Halloween—they’re sure to be a big hit!

▲World-renowned chef and winner of international culinary competitions, Chef Chen Qiwen, presents his book “Master’s Golden Recipes: Chinese Pasta and Dim Sum,” featuring a cost-effective Halloween pumpkin dim sum recipe.