4 Easy and Delicious Ways to Reheat and Enjoy Nikuman at Home

About 3 min read

When the weather gets chilly, it’s hard to resist grabbing a nikuman (steamed pork bun) from the convenience store. It’s delicious just as it is, of course—but why not try something a little different for a change? This time, we’re introducing some easy and tasty ways to enjoy nikuman at home that we highly recommend you try!

『専門店で聞いた本当においしい食べ方』 Goodie-Foodie編集部著／彩図社刊（発売中）

Table of Contents

1 How to Heat It Deliciously
2 Pan-Frying Nikuman
3 Nikuman Soup
4 Add Condiments

How to Heat It Deliciously

The steamed pork buns we prepared this time came in a pack of five from a supermarket. Have you ever had the disappointing experience of heating nikuman in the microwave only to end up with dry dough or a soggy bottom? Let’s fix that!

① Pour water into a mug

First, prepare a mug. Choose one with a narrow rim if possible. Pour about 2–3 cm of water into the bottom of the mug.

② Place the nikuman on top of the mug

Remove the paper from the bottom of the nikuman

Remove the paper on the bottom of the nikuman.

Then set the nikuman on top of the mug! If the mug has a wide rim, it won’t support the bun well—so choose carefully!

③ Wrap with plastic wrap

Loosely wrap the mug and nikuman with plastic wrap from above.

It looks like this once wrapped. Quite a strange sight, isn’t it?

④ Heat in the microwave

Place it in the microwave and heat for 2 minutes at 500W.

Carefully take it out of the microwave to avoid burns, remove the plastic wrap, and it’s ready to eat.

It’s been gently steamed, resulting in moist and delicious dough!

The steam generated inside the mug heats the nikuman from below, so the filling inside is warmed through as well. Now you can enjoy perfectly hot and delicious nikuman at home!

Pan-Frying Nikuman

Next, let’s try pan-frying nikuman! First, add a bit of sesame oil to a heated frying pan.

① Place in the frying pan

Place the nikuman in the pan (after removing the paper), and cook until a brown crust forms.

② Flip it over

Once you get a nice golden crust, flip the nikuman and cook the other side. The sizzling sesame oil smells amazing!

③ Press it against the pan

Press the nikuman against the pan as much as possible. This helps heat the filling thoroughly.

This is what it looks like after both sides are browned. The crimped top has a lovely grilled finish, making it look like something from a shop!

④ All done!

The crust is crispy and the hint of sesame oil adds a toasty aroma—undeniably delicious. This is a must-try variation!

Nikuman Soup

① Make Chinese-style soup

Prepare a deep bowl and pour in about 150 ml of hot water. Add 1 teaspoon of Chinese soup base and stir gently.

② Add the nikuman

Drop the nikuman into the soup! It’s best to microwave the nikuman in advance so it’s already hot and ready to enjoy.

③ Add toppings

Top with shredded chili, sesame seeds, green onion, or any condiments from your fridge. The bun will absorb the soup like a sponge, so feel free to adjust the amount of water and soup base to your liking.

Quick and easy nikuman soup. Why not make it for a chilly morning when you’re in a rush?

Add Condiments

While nikuman filling is already seasoned, in some regions it’s common to eat it with condiments. In western Japan—including Kyushu and Kansai—convenience stores even include soy sauce and mustard when you buy nikuman.

① Start with soy sauce and vinegar

Start by mixing soy sauce and vinegar in a 1:1 ratio. Just dip your nikuman and enjoy!

② Add mustard

Adding mustard makes it feel like you’re eating a giant shumai dumpling. Mustard and dim sum make a great combo!

③ Get creative!

Besides soy sauce and vinegar or mustard, try ponzu or Worcestershire sauce too. You can also mix Worcestershire with mayo, or make mustard mayo. There are endless tasty variations!

With just a little creativity, nikuman can take on many delicious forms. Try out these methods—or invent your own signature way to enjoy them!