Take lukewarm milk & sugar in a big bowl or the stand mixer bowl(if using). Add yeast and let it sit for 10-12 minutes till it becomes foamy. Add flour, baking powder, salt and knead for 15 minutes if by hand or 10 minutes if using the stand mixer till you get a smooth dough.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and rest the dough until it doubles in size, about 1 to 2 hours depending on the temperature at your place.

Once the dough has doubled in size, punch the dough down with your hand to release the air and knead for a minute.

Cut the dough into 2 equal pieces, shape one of the dough portions into a ball & using a rolling pin, roll into a thick disc. Fold once and roll again & repeat once more. This process makes the buns fluffy & soft inside. Cut into 5-6 equal strips & roll into a round ball. rest them on a plate and keep covered with a damp cloth to prevent drying. Repeat the same process for rest of the dough portion.

When they rest for at least 30 minutes, they will double in size. You may steam these as plain or stuffed buns.

Working on one dough ball at a time, use a rolling pin to roll the ball into a circle of 4 inch diameter, dust with dry flour if the dough is too sticky to roll (Do not dust with too much of flour as it makes the buns dry). Take the rolled dough circle in your non-dominant hand, add 1 tablespoon of stuffing in the centre, hold the dough circle edge with your dominant hand and make small pleats all around the circle. Bring all the pleats together & pinch them together to seal the stuffing well. Rest the stuffed buns before steaming for at least 30 minutes on a plate covered with a damp cloth.

Cut 10 pieces of square parchment paper approx 7cm X 7cm, to be used while steaming the buns.

Just before steaming buns, bring the water in the steamer to boil. Place each stuffed bun on parchment paper squares and keep them on the steamer plate in the steamer. Place a kitchen towel between the steamer plate and the lid to prevent water from dripping on the buns. Cook over medium heat for 10-12 minutes.

Remove the buns on a wire rack to cool and use the same steamer to steam the rest of the buns.

Steam the buns in batches depending on the size of your steamer.