Yes, when making steamed buns or steamed buns, cover them with a layer of wet cloth, or cover the container directly with a pot lid. If the weather is cold, cover the prepared container with a quilt or blanket. Something like this to keep warm. ?
The purpose is just to prevent the surface of the dough from getting cracked and to maintain moisture. Therefore, if it can be covered tightly, it is better to cover the mouth of the basin, which can keep the dough below fermenting in an environment with suitable humidity. If you have plastic wrap, use it to seal the pot tightly. This is better and more hygienic.
Tips for waking up steamed buns:
For the first time to wake up, the rising time is specifically related to the room temperature. The higher the temperature, the faster the rising speed. It usually takes 1 hour to wake up. As long as you see that the torn dough has obvious honeycombs, it means that it has been proofed. During the time when the dough is proofed, we will make the meat filling.
After the dough has risen, take it out, roll it into a bun wrapper, then add fillings to the bun wrapper and wrap it up. The wrapped buns need to be proofed a second time and covered with plastic wrap to prevent the dough from drying out. This time it only takes 15 minutes.
After fermentation, just put the buns in the pot, but do not steam them immediately. The third proofing is also the top priority. Cover the lid and continue to proof for 15 minutes. When you see that the buns have increased in size, just steam the buns over high heat for about 18 minutes, then turn off the heat and simmer for a while before taking them out.