Blanch the cornmeal: Pour 300g boiling water into 300g cornmeal, stir quickly with chopsticks until it forms uniform flakes (no dry powder left). Let it cool to lukewarm (about 5-10 minutes).

Knead the dough: Add 1 egg, 10g sugar, 5g yeast, and 300g all-purpose flour to the cooled cornmeal. Stir into flocculent dough, then knead by hand for 5-10 minutes until smooth (add a little warm water if too dry, or extra flour if too sticky).

Shape & proof: Roll the dough into a long log, cut into 8-10 equal portions. Rub each portion into an oval shape with pointed ends (like a "stick"). Place on a floured surface, cover with plastic wrap, and let proof for 1-1.5 hours until 1.5 times larger (it should feel light when lifted, and spring back quickly when pressed).

Pan-fry & braise: Heat 10ml cooking oil in a pan over low heat. Arrange the proofed buns in the pan (leave space between them to avoid sticking). Fry until the bottom turns golden brown (about 2 minutes). Pour 120ml water along the pan edge, cover immediately, and braise on low heat for 8-10 minutes. Uncover, cook for another 1-2 minutes to crisp the bottom, then serve hot.