Steamed Pork Buns (Bāozi 包子）
This recipe is truly one of my favorites it's just in my opinion the ultimate comfort food if you want something savory
Ingredients
Dough
500g Strong White flour (for even results better ask for flour for baozi in a Chinese supermarket)
250ml Warm water
1 tsp Dried yeast (fresh yeast is better, often able to buy at a good bakery)
1 tbsp Sugar
Filling
350g Pork mince
1 tsp Grated garlic (the finest part of a grater, a micro-plane is best)
1 tsp Grated ginger (the finest part of a grater, a micro-plane is best)
1 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tsp oyster sauce
2 tsp Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing Rice Wine)(A dry sherry can work too or a very dry white wine, but these days most supermarkets will sell Chinese cooking wine, it is a lot better for this recipe)
½ tsp Salt
1 tsp Raw cane sugar
3 tsp Sesame oil
300ml Chicken stock
2 tsp Méline's Chilli Sauce
1 small bunch Chopped spring onion/Chinese chives (Chinese chives are perfect to use here but you will only find them in a Chinese supermarket, if you want to go to one then I strongly recommend it here for this recipe as it will give the baozi's that amazing traditional flavour.
To Make the Dough
Dissolve the sugar in the warm water, add the yeast and stir.
Set aside until yeast activates. (about 10mins or until it becomes frothy) it's important here not to leave the yeast any longer than 15 mins as it will start to become sour and die)
In a large bowl, add the plain flour.
Pour in the yeasty water into it in batches. Use chopsticks (or a knife) to stir through the flour, making sure the mixture is well incorporated.
Gather the dough together with your hands to form a ball.
Cover the dough in cling-film and place it in a draught-free location. Allow it to prove (rise) until doubled in size and dough doesn’t spring back when poked.
To Make the Filling
Add the pork mince, grated garlic, grated ginger, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, salt, sugar, Chilli sauce and sesame oil in a large mixing bowl.
Use a pair of chopsticks to combine the ingredients, or just your hands, gently working the mixture until evenly combined.
Add the sliced spring onion/Chinese chive. Mix again until well combined.
To Make the Buns
Sprinkle some flour over a clean working surface.
knead the ball of dough to get rid of air bubbles.
Place the dough on the floured surface, fold in half and knead, pressing down against the working surface. Turn repeat and continue kneading for 10 mins, or until there are no air bubbles.
To check, cut the dough to see if there are still air bubbles, continue kneading if there are big air bubbles in the dough.
Roll the dough into a long log, then divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. If you have a scale, you can weigh the dough to divide it accurately. (better results but not necessary)
Cover your dough with a damp cloth as you are working. (this will stop it from drying out and forming a crust)
Flatten one piece of dough. Using your thumb to hold the middle, use a rolling pin in your dominant hand to roll the dough out, while your non-dominant hand holds onto it. Continue this until you have a wrapper with a thick middle and thin edges.
Add 2 tbsp worth of pork filling into the middle of the wrapper.
With your thumb and middle finger under the wrapper and your forefinger on the top, lift the edge and pinch it to make a pleat. Use your other hand to gather more dough, then pinch with your index finger. Continue doing this all the way around, making sure your thumb never leaves the first pleat.
You can either leave a hole on the top or twist the pleat and pinch it together to close the top of the bun.
If you have trouble no worries you will get better with practice, the important thing is to try to have the stuffing as close to the middle as possible and to seal the sides well.
Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
To Cook
Line a bamboo steamer (or a classic western steamer) with perforated steamer paper liners (greaseproof paper is fine here too, just cut some holes in it to allow the steam through). Place your steamer over a pan filled with hot water from the kettle.
Put your lovely pork buns in the steamer, leaving adequate space between them. (be aware they will expand when they cook so leave more space than you think.
Cover with the lid, but do not put the steamer on the cooker or to heat up yet allow them to proof (rise) first for 15 mins.
Now turn the heat on to high. Once the water boils, steam the pork buns for 15 mins.
Turn off the heat and leave pork buns covered for 5 mins.
Ready to serve 😊😋
Enjoy,
Please let me know in the comment section if I can make the recipe better, if some parts were unclear, or if it was just really tasty, thank you. 🙏
To get a jar of Meline's Chilli Sauce then I highly recommend it for this recipe, however, if you do not like things too spicy then no need.
If you have any queries or any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.
thomas@chef-middleton.com I will be happy to help,