Traditional Banh Bao Recipe (Vietnamese Steamed Pork Buns)

Step 1

Prepare your parchment paper pieces. Cut parchment paper into 16 5x5 inch pieces. Set aside.

Step 2

Make the dough. Add flour and baking powder to a bowl and mix. Set aside

Step 3

Heat the milk until warm (100-110 degrees F). Add yeast and mix. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes until it foams. Add the vegetable oil and sugar and stir until combined.

Step 4

Add the wet ingredients to a large mixing bowl and add in your dry ingredients from step Combine with your hands. Once all the ingredients come together, dump the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes. Add more flour if the dough seems too wet. The dough has been kneaded enough if you poke the dough, and it slowly springs back at you. Once done, transfer it to an oiled bowl and cover with a towel. Let it rise in a warm place for an hour.

Step 5

While the dough is rising, prepare your other ingredients. Boil your eggs and cut into 4 pieces. Slice your Chinese sausages. Set aside.

Step 6

Make the pork filling. To make your pork filling, combine ground pork, wood ear mushrooms, minced yellow onion, fish sauce, oyster sauce, salt, pepper, and sugar. Mix until just combined. Divide the pork filling into 16 equal, round pieces and set aside.

Step 7

Once the dough is finished proofing, divide it into 16 equal pieces. Roll out each piece into a thin circle that is 4-4.5 inches in diameter. The outer edges should be thinner than the center. Make sure the center is not too thin.

Step 8

Add 1 piece of pork filling, 1 piece of Chinese sausage, and 1 egg piece to the center of the filling. Envelop the filling with the outer edges of the dough. Fold and crimp the dough until it completely  covers the filling. Examples in pictures above. Place each bao on a piece of parchment paper.

Step 9

Prepare your steamer pot. Bring water to a simmer and add a dash of rice wine vinegar. Make sure to sustain a consistent simmer throughout this process.

Step 10

Steam the banh baos for 15-17 minutes. Make sure there is at least 1 inch of space between each bao since they will expand.