Steamed char siu bao is a typical and popular Cantonese bun stuffed with diced barbecue pork and most commonly served as a dim sum in yum cha restaurants.

Chinese Steamed Barbecue Pork Buns (Char Siu Bao)

flour

Baking or parchment paper,

For the Filling:

gluten free barbecue sauce (refer relevant recipe)

For the dough:

Dry Ingredients:

(1.5Ib) gluten free white bread flour (Laucke Easy Bakers)

dry active yeast

(1 ounces) agave sugar

salt

Wet Ingredients:

olive oil

rice milk

vanilla extract

Tasty filling with fluffy wrapper, homemade bao buns are super comforting! This guide offers tips and tricks to ensure a fail-proof experience.

Steamed bao buns (包子), a complete guide

g all-purpose flour (or cake flour, see note 1)

yeast

tsp sugar

tbsp cooking oil (see note 2)

140 ml lukewarm water (see note 3)

g pork

tsp light soy sauce

oyster sauce

ground Sichuan pepper (or Chinese five-spice powder)

tsp salt

tbsp water (or unsalted stock)

tbsp cooking oil

150 g carrot (grated)

onion (finely chopped)

coriander (finely chopped)

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).

Prepare the dough

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.

Mix the filling

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.

Shape the buns (Please refer to the video below)

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.

Steam the buns

Serve them warm, on their own or with some dipping sauce (find inspirations in my post Six dumpling sauces).

Serving with a dipping sauce

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.

Storage &amp; reheat

https://embed.mediavine.com/videos/mxol7iycoqobntcxotpi

Tasty, juicy filling with soft, fluffy wrappers, homemade bao buns are super comforting! This guide offers tips and tricks to ensure a fail-proof cooking experience.

Steamed bao buns (Baozi, 包子)

This pork bao tastes just like the ones in Taiwan and it&#x27;s SERIOUSLY DELICIOUS. Pork bao has been one of the most-requested recipes. You can make authentic, hot, steamy, juicy, delicious pork bao in your own kitchen following this recipe. Folding instruction video is included.

Steamed Pork Bao | 鮮肉包

C Water

TBsp Sugar

TBsp Active Dry Yeast

2-3/4 C All-Purpose Flour

tsp Baking Powder

TBsp Vegetable Oil

lb Ground Pork

TBsp Corn Starch

TBsp Soy Sauce

TBsp Toasted Sesame Oil

Salt

tsp Ground white pepper

tsp Five Spice Powder

inch Ginger (Finely sliced)

Mix 1C of warm water(warm to touch) with 1TBsp sugar and 1/2TBsp Active Dry Yeast- This step helps the yeast dissolve and mix better in the next step.

Add the rest of the dough ingredients and knead till smooth and elastic. &quot;3 clean&quot; is the goal. Your hand should be clean, the dough looks clean(smooth), and it will pull away from the bowl(bowl&#x27;s clean).The dough should pull away from the bowl easily and shouldn&#x27;t be sticky. If it&#x27;s too sticky(summer humidity might change the proportion), add 1/4C flour until the dough is soft, smooth and not sticky.Cover with a wet towel and rest for 10 mins. (Full video can be found on IG TV @CHOOCHOOCACHEW)You can also do this in a stand-up mixer with a dough hook- about 6 minutes.

Dough

While the dough rests, make the filling.

Add sliced ginger to 1C of water and let it rest.

Beat 1lb of ground pork with a fork until it&#x27;s sticky, lumping together and not crumbly.

Mix in 3TBsp Soy Sauce, 2TBsp Corn Starch, 1tsp Salt, 1TBsp Toasted Sesame Oil, 1/8tsp white pepper, 1/8tsp five spice.

Remove the ginger from the water. Add the ginger-infused water to the pork mixture, roughly 1/4C at a time, beating the pork with a fork. Making sure all the moisture is absorbed before adding the next 1/4C. Repeat until all the water is absorbed.(You can also use a stand-up mixer with a mix paddle for making the pork mixture)

Add the 3C of chopped scallions to the pork mixture. Keep in the fridge if you&#x27;re not ready to fold right away.

Filling

Line a steaming basket with parchment liners. If your liners don&#x27;t have holes in them, make sure you poke some!

Now we roll and fold. Separate the dough into 16 portions, each one weighing about 45g.

It&#x27;s easier to roll a round dough if you start with a round dough. Dust a little flour on the counter to prevent sticking. Flatten a dough and roll with a rolling pin from the outside in, with your left hand turning the dough, roll again and turn. Till the dough has turned into a circular shape with thinner skins around and thick in the center. About 5 inch in diameter.(It&#x27;s OK if the dough is not a perfect round!)

Now fold. Hold the dough in one hand, add the filling- how much depends on how well you can fold. Start small and work your way up.With the other hand, pinch the outskirts of the dough and gather them together. It&#x27;s honestly easier if you watch the video above. Place the baos in the steamer, with at least 2&quot; gap between each one. (My 10&quot; bamboo steamers fits about 5 baos per tier)Repeat until you&#x27;ve finished with all the baos.

Put the lid on the baos, and let the baos rest for 20 minutes. (Summer, 75+ degrees) 45h in winter (75 and below)The longer you rest your baos the bigger they will grow and the more air bubbles. They will grow bigger when they are steamed.

Making Bao

With a pot which you can stack your steamers on, bring 2&quot; water to a rapid boil.

Stack the rested baos in the steamer on the boiling water.

Steam: 10 minutes for two stacks, 15 for 3 stacks, 20 for 4 stacks. This is just a rule of thumb, your actual steam time may vary.Check if your bao is done: poke it. If it springs back, feels bouncy, it&#x27;s done. If it&#x27;s soft and leaves a mark, steam them longer!

Steaming

Eat the baos while they&#x27;re HOT. Keep in the fridge for a week or freeze them for up to 3 months! Reheat the baos by steaming them.

Storing

The BEST Bao Buns

water

milk

active dry yeast

tbsp avocado, vegetable or canola oil

all purpose flour (use blenched flour

tsp baking powder

Combine warm water, milk, active yeast, sugar and oil. Whisk to let yeast and sugar to dissolve then let it sit until years activate, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a stand mixer. You could make with your hand too if you prefer.

Pour the wet ingredients to dry ingredients mixture. Start on a low speed to slowly incorporate all the ingredients together then on medium speed until it becomes a dough shape. Keep kneed for 3 to 4 minutes on medium speed. The dough should be elastic and really soft but not stick to your fingers or on the mixing bowl.

Take the dough out form the hook and form as a ball. Place back to the mixing bowl, cover with a plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place until it becomes triple size, about 2 hours. Let it sit longer if needed.

Place the raised dough on a working surface. Roll out the dough 1/4-inch thick. Sprinkle four is not necessary but if you do, use as minimum as possible.Cut the dough 3 1/2-inch circle with a ring mold or glass (I used a wine glass). This recipe will make 14 o 16 baos.

Lightly brush or spray oil on one surface of the baos and fold in half as a half moon shape. Gently press each bao with a roller and place on a parchment paper or coffee filter lined steamer. Cover with a lid and let it rest for additional 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring water to boil on a wok or steamer pot. Carefully place the steamer with the baos on top of boiling water wok/pot. Make sure water is not touching the baos. Cover and steam for 8 to 12 minutes. When they are done cooking, tilt the lid tiny bit for a slow air circulation about 2 to 3 minutes before open the lid. Spray some water on coffee filter to prevent the dough from sticking. You can serve this bao as a side or make sandwich! Enjoy!

Thank you for the recipe!  It is absolutely the best bao buns I’ve made and it’s so easy,  so light and very very fluffy!  My friends were very impressed!

@Vivian, it could be the type of flour you used. This happened to me with so many dough recipes in the past because the flour my family buys is higher protein/gluten content. Read this blog post about types of flour and protein content! Helped me so much with making a softer dough: https://redhousespice.com/homemade-dumpling-wrappers/
Could also be not enough rest time or yeast didn't activate properly??

OMG! First time I made this and they are perfect! Family is happy too saying even though we’re in complete lockdown we are still travelling the world... Thank you so much xx

I made this recipe for my family tonight. We're Cambodian and call this type of bun, Nom Bao. This is truly authentic tasting, and very much like my Mom's. I love the fluffiness, and softness of these baos. Perfect amount of sweetness. I'm only disappointed that I didn't double the recipe!! My kids devoured every piece and finished it all.  I made it exact to the recipe. I've already written this recipe down into my recipe book. It's a keeper. Thanks so much!

These were so yummy! I used different filing ingredients, but the Bao was amazing, so soft!!

These were amazing! LIght, fluffy and delicious. Your trick to keep them from sticking works like a charm. Thank you so much!

I love bao buns but never thought it was possible to make them at home, until now! They are as soft as a pillowy cloud and melt in your mouth. Your recipe and tricks are spot on. Thank you so much 😊

I kept waiting for my store to restock frozen ones, but it was taking so long I decided to make it myself. Your recipe stood out because it looked so fat and fluffy, not flat and dense. You were right - it’s foolproof and delicious. I don’t think I’ll buy the premade ones ever again! Thank you.

Such a fan if this recipe. Can you tell me the model on your kitchen stand mixer?  It’s on the bottom of the unit's base and back of your stand mixer. I need to get one strong enough to knead so it doesn’t break.

These were amazing! First time making them, will never use another recipe!  Came out better than I’ve ever had in a restaurant.  Thank you so much! 😊

I’ve made these twice. They are so perfect! Please don’t take this as a criticism, it’s just my modification- I followed instructions to the T, with the exception of this: instead of rolling out the dough and cutting into rounds, I divided the dough into 17 equal size balls (using a food scale) so there is no wasting of dough or re-rolling dough. Steamed for 10-12 minutes. They were delicious and fluffy and just the right amount of sweetness! So tasty with pork floss, or alone, or used for bao tacos. Thank you so much for sharing this!

Hi I rarely leave comments but I really want to thank you for this amazing easy to follow recipe!! I substituted sugar with maple syrup and added corn starch to make up for the wet/dry ingredients of sugar. It turned out so amazing and fluffy and just delicious !!! Thank you soooooooooo much !!!!!!!

These were so easy to make and my whole family loved them! Boa Buns for the win!

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/E9CzEhVM.mp4

Bao Buns

Tasty, moist pork wrapped with half-soft, half-crispy dough, Shanghai pan-fried pork buns, traditionally served as breakfast, make a great party food.

Sheng Jian Bao: Pan-fried pork buns (生煎包)

g all-purpose flour (about 2 cups (see note 1))

tsp dried instant yeast (see note 2)

140 ml lukewarm water (about 9 tbsp)

tbsp spring onion (finely chopped)

tbsp ginger (minced)

Shaoxing rice wine

tsp sesame oil

water (or chicken stock)

240 ml water (about 1 cup)

sesame seeds

Spring onion (finely chopped)

In a large bowl, mix flour, yeast and sugar. Pour in water little by little while stirring with a pair of chopsticks (or a fork).

Then knead with your hand until a smooth, elastic dough forms (see note 3). Cover the bowl with a wet kitchen towel.

Leave to rise in a warm place until double in size. It will take between 40 minutes to 1.5 hours depending on the room temperature.

Put all the ingredients for the filling (except for water/stock) into a large bowl.

Swirl constantly in the same direction while gradually adding water/stock spoon by spoon into the mixture.

Knead the dough on a floured work surface until it goes back to its original size.

Divide it into 20 equal portions. Roll each piece into a disk-like wrapper.

Hold the wrapper in the palm of one hand. Place some filling in the middle. Use the other hand to fold the edge anticlockwise by pinching with thumb and index finger until the bun is completely sealed (please refer to the images above).

Leave to rest for 15 minutes before frying.

Shape the buns

Heat up oil in a frying pan over a high heat. Place in the buns (see note 4 &amp; 5).

When the bottom part becomes golden brown, pour in water then cover with a lid.

Uncover when the water evaporates completely. Sprinkle sesame seeds and spring onion over.

Cook another 30 seconds or so to crisp up.

Fry the buns

Soft, fluffy steamed buns filled with sweet, creamy red bean paste, Chinese red bean buns taste amazing when made from scratch. A tutorial video is included.

Red Bean Buns (Dou Sha Bao, 豆沙包)

150 g adzuki beans (aka red beans),

tbsp white sugar

dark brown sugar

butter (see note 2 for substitute)

g all-purpose flour,

tsp instant dry yeast (see note 4)

tbsp sugar

1½ tbsp neutral cooking oil

water,

Soak adzuki beans in water overnight. Drain then put into a pot. Pour in 500ml of water. Bring it to a boil then leave to simmer for about 90 mins until cooked (You may use a pressure cooker/instant pot to reduce the cooking time).

Cook the beans (skip if using canned beans)

Put drained beans into a blender or food processor (see note 6 for handmade option). Add white sugar, dark brown sugar and butter (or coconut oil). Blend on high speed into a fine paste. You may need to add a little water to make blending easier. However, only add as little as necessary.

Transfer the soft paste into a non-stick pan. Cook over medium-high heat while stirring and flipping constantly to avoid burning. Once the paste becomes dark and holds in shape, transfer out to cool (Watch the video below to see the desired consistency).

Make the paste

IF USING HANDS: Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, yeast and oil in a bowl. Add water gradually while mixing with a pair of chopsticks/spatula. Combine with your hands to form a rough dough. Rest (covered) for 10 mins then knead again until very smooth.

IF USING A STAND MIXER: Add all the ingredients for the dough into the mixing bowl. Knead on low speed for about 8 mins until a smooth dough forms.

Roll the dough into a long rope then divide into 14 equal parts. Work on one piece at a time and make sure you cover the rest to prevent them from drying out.

With a rolling pin, flatten one piece into a disc-like wrapper, about 10cm in diameter (Dust with flour if necessary). Ideally, it should be thinner on the edge &amp; thicker in the middle (See the rolling technique in the video below).

Roll the wrappers

Place a spoonful of the cooled red bean paste (about 30g) in the middle of a wrapper. Seal the bun completely using whatever method that you feel most comfortable with (Watch the video below for reference).

Put the bun on the work surface with the sealed side facing down. Rotate the bun between your hands to form a slightly raised shape. 

OPTIONAL STEP: If you wish to make it festive, mark a red dot (or other pattern) on top of the bun with a little red food colouring.

Repeat to finish all the wrappers and filling. Then place the buns into steamer baskets lined with parchment paper to prevent sticking (Alternatively, brush a thin layer of oil if using a metal/plastic steamer). Make sure you leave ample space between each bun.

Leave to rest for 30 minutes or so until they become very light &amp; plump (no need to cover).

Assemble the buns

Bring water to a full boil in a wok/pot. Place the steamer baskets in.

Steam over medium-high heat for 10 mins. Serve immediately.

Red bean paste can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for two months.

Store leftover buns in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for two months (It’s not recommended to refrigerate or freeze uncooked buns).

To reheat the buns: Defrost in the fridge then steam for 3 mins. Alternatively, steam for 6 mins without defrosting.

Store and reheat

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9v5D2J4O23E

Soft, fluffy steamed buns filled with sweet, creamy red bean paste, Chinese red bean buns taste amazing when made from scratch.
🔎 Printable Recipe: https://redhousespice.com/red-bean-buns
.
🎵 Music: Sailors Waltz by https://youtube.com/ikson
.
#bao #steamedbuns #chinesecooking

Chinese Red Bean Buns (Dou Sha Bao/豆沙包) | Super Soft & Fluffy

Do you need a delicious bun recipe filled with juicy vegetables? This recipe is for you! The buns have a fluffy texture with a crispy bottom that&#039;ll have you wishing for more after just one bite.

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