Steamed bao buns (包子), a complete guide
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
30 mins
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Cook Time
20 mins
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Rest
1 hr
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Total Time
1 hr 50 mins
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Servings
12 buns
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Calories
148 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Chinese
Steamed bao buns (包子), a complete guide
Description
Steamed bao buns combine a yeasted dough with a savory pork filling that includes soy and oyster sauces and aromatics like grated carrot and coriander. The dough is mixed and kneaded until smooth, then left to rise until doubled, ensuring a light, pillowy texture when steamed. The filling is prepared with minced pork, spices, and sautéed vegetables to add moisture and flavor. Each bun is shaped by placing the filling in the center of a rolled dough piece and folding it into a traditional bao shape before resting and steaming. This produces soft, savory buns with a tender crumb and juicy filling, suitable as dim sum or a snack.
These buns can be served as part of a larger meal or as a portable snack. They pair well with dipping sauces like soy or chili oil.
Using neutral oils and adjusting flour and water ratios may be necessary depending on ingredients. Dough can be kneaded by hand or with a stand mixer. Brushing metal steamers with oil prevents sticking. Leave the buns to rest before steaming to improve texture. The recipe provides detailed guidance on dough preparation and shaping.
Ingredients
For the dough
- 300 g all-purpose flour or cake flour, see note 1
- 1 teaspoon dried yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil see note 2, generic cooking oil
- 140 ml water see note 3, lukewarm
For the filling
- 150 g pork minced
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce light
- 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
- 1 pinch Sichuan peppercorn or Chinese five-spice powder, ground
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoon water or unsalted stock
- 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
- 150 g carrot grated
- 1 onion finely chopped, small
- 2 tablespoon Coriander finely chopped
Instructions
Prepare the dough
- Mix flour, yeast, sugar and oil in a bowl. Pour in water little by little while mixing.
- Combine and knead with your hands until a very smooth dough forms (see note 4).
- Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size (It will take between 40 minutes to 1.5 hours depending on the room temperature).
Mix the filling
- Put pork, soy sauce, oyster sauce, salt and Sichuan pepper/Chinese five-spice in a mixing bowl.
- Swirl constantly while gradually adding water/stock until no more liquid can be seen.
- Brief stir fry grated carrot and onion in oil until softened. Add to the pork along with chopped coriander.
Shape the buns (Please refer to the video below)
- Knead the dough until it goes back to its original size.
- Divide it into 12 equal portions. Roll each piece into a disk-like wrapper.
- Place some filling in the middle of a wrapper then fold into a bao shape.
- Leave all the assembled buns to rest for another 15 minutes or so.
Steam the buns
- Place the buns (with parchment paper underneath each one) in the steamer basket (see note 5). Leave 2cm space between the buns and the side of the steamer.
- Start cooking with cold water over a high heat. Turn the heat down to medium-low when the water starts boiling.
- Cook for 15-18 minutes.
Serving with a dipping sauce
- Serve them warm, on their own or with some dipping sauce (find inspirations in my post Six dumpling sauces).
Storage & reheat
- You can freeze cooked buns. Leave to defrost in the fridge then steam for 8 minutes to warm up, or steam for 15 minutes without defrosting.
Notes
- If cake flour is unavailable, blend all-purpose flour with cornstarch and sift before use to approximate texture.
- Use neutral-flavored cooking oils such as canola, sunflower, or vegetable oil for best results.
- Adjust water amount slightly depending on the flour brand for proper dough consistency.
- A stand mixer with a dough hook can be used to knead dough for about 10 minutes on low speed.
- Before steaming, lightly brush metal steamers with oil to prevent buns from sticking.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12buns
Amount Per Serving
Calories 148 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1bun | |
| Calories | 148kcal | 7% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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