Chinese Steamed Pork Buns (Baozi) Recipe

Make the dough: in a big bowl mix 350 g all purpose flour, 30 g granulated sugar, 1 tsp instant yeast, 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt. Add 180 to 200 ml warm water and 20 ml vegetable oil, stir until shaggy then knead about 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. If it feels too sticky add a little flour, too dry add a splash of water. Oil the dough, cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 60 minutes.

Prep the filling: in another bowl combine 400 g ground pork (80/20), 2 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine or dry sherry, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp cornstarch, 1 tsp sugar and 1/2 tsp white pepper. Add 3 chopped spring onions, 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger, 1 minced garlic clove if using, and 100 g drained chopped napa cabbage if using. Mix the filling well in one direction until sticky and combined; for extra juicy buns add 1 or 2 tbsp ice cold water while mixing.

Knock back and portion dough: punch down the risen dough, turn onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 to 14 even pieces (about 50 to 60 g each). Roll each into a smooth ball and cover, rest 8 to 10 minutes so the gluten relaxes.

Roll wrappers: press each ball flat then roll into a round about 3 to 4 mm thick, making the center slightly thicker than the edges so it wont tear when you pleat.

Fill and pleat: put about 1 to 2 tbsp of filling in the center of each wrapper, gather the edges and pleat while rotating to form a neat top seal, pinch tightly so no filling leaks. Don’t overfill or they will burst.

Place on liners: set each bun on a small square of parchment or a cabbage leaf in your steamer basket, spacing them so they have room to expand.

Second proof: cover the arranged buns and let them proof 20 to 30 minutes until puffy. This step makes them light and fluffy.

Steam: bring water to a rolling boil in your steamer pot, place the steamer over high heat and steam the buns for about 12 to 15 minutes (adjust time for size). After steaming turn off the heat and leave the lid on for 3 to 5 minutes before opening so the buns dont collapse.

Serve and tips: remove buns carefully, serve hot with soy or chili sauce. Tips: using both instant yeast and a little baking powder gives extra fluff; chilling the filling a bit firms it up making pleating easier; if buns deflate too much next time shorten the steam time or let them sit a minute before opening the lid.