Chinese Steamed Pork Buns Recipe - TipBuzz (2024)

FAQs

Why are my bao buns not fluffy? ›

If you're looking for the fluffiest buns, use cake flour which is low in gluten. Bread flour, which is high in gluten, is acceptable but it results in a chewier texture. You can replace ⅕ of the bread flour with cornstarch to lower its gluten level.

This is especially important for buns; if too much water falls on them during the steaming process, they can turn unpleasantly wet. A 10" bamboo steamer is the standard size for the average home cook. To use, add about 1" to 1 1/2" water to a 14" wok or a large pot or pan.

Bao Buns (pronounced “bow”), but also known as a 'steamed buns' or 'baozi' 包子, are a delicious, warm, fluffy treat of stuffing wrapped inside a sweet, white dough. Made with a mix of flour, yeast, sugar, baking powder, milk and oil, the bao is a tad sweeter than its closely related cousin, the dumpling.

The flour should be between 10-11% protein. Using cake flour will give you an even more tender bun and bread flour will give you a chewier bun. For a chewier texture, substitute some bread flour or wheat starch.

In order to get white bao, many Chinese American cooks use low-gluten (low-protein), bleached cake flour for their bao dough; cake flour is milled from soft wheat and has 8 to 10% gluten/protein. To make up for the flour's lack of gluten a touch of vinegar is added to result in more chewy dough.

How do you know when steamed bao is done cooking? My elderly Asian instinct on cooking steamed bao to perfection is pretty poor, so I use an instant thermometer. I probe the top part of the bao and look for 195F/ 90.5C.

Try basting your buns for moisture and flavor.

"Using melted butter with just a 1/2 teaspoon each of garlic powder, chili powder, or cumin can totally transform a boring bun."

Pork buns are traditionally baked or pan-fried, resulting in a slightly firmer outer layer. Because the buns are baked, they are drier and, therefore, are less sticky to pick up with your fingers. Bao is unmistakably steamed, which imparts its characteristic soft and airy texture.

Bao or Baozi are said to have been invented in China during the 3rd century by a military strategist called Zhuge Liang [181-234]. They were first named Mantou but over time they began to be referred to as baozi or bao meaning to wrap in Mandarin.

What do steamed pork buns taste like? ›

Steamed pork and chive buns are a Northern Chinese classic and they have a special place in my heart. The fluffy yeast buns are stuffed with a tender, juicy filling of pork and Chinese chive, creating an intense, savory taste that is ultra satisfying and comforting.

While the buns are steaming, make the hoisin dipping sauce: In a small bowl, stir together the hoisin, soy sauce, 2 tablespoons water and the vinegar. Serve with the buns.

A comforting bowl of egg drop soup or wonton soup is also a great complement. If the steamed pork buns are appetizers, pair it with sesame noodles with lots of sautéed veggies.

Place frozen Buns into a lightly oiled steamer and cover. Steam the Buns over boiling water for approx. 15 minutes. Buns are cooked when the meat inside is steaming hot.

Too much flour will end you with tough, dry, dense buns. Look for the bounce back. You will know you are done kneading the dough when it is smooth and elastic.

99% of the time this happens, the problem lies with the yeast used. The quality might be compromised, or you might have applied it incorrectly, or under poor cooking conditions. Read on for why your yeast is not working as it should and what you can do to avoid it.

Just replace 1/3 of the flour in the recipe below with wholemeal (wholewheat) bread flour. They'll be a little bit denser/ chewier but still delicious. I wouldn't recommend doing 50% or 100% wholemeal flour as it'll make the buns too dense and they won't be fluffy.

Carbon dioxide is responsible for all the bubbles that make holes in bread, making it lighter and fluffier. Because gas is created as a result of yeast growth, the more the yeast grows, the more gas in the dough and the more light and airy your bread loaf will be.