The BEST Bao Buns Recipe & Video - Seonkyoung Longest (2024)

FAQs

Why add vinegar to bao? ›

A trick to making the buns white is to add vinegar to the water in the steamer. The acidic vapor makes the buns white during steaming because, you know, science. Other people squeeze a bit of lime directly into the dough during kneading.

Microwaving from Frozen

Use water to wet all surfaces of the frozen bao bun (this will ensure that the dough doesn't crack when heated). Place bun on a plate in the microwave. Heat on high for approximately one minute.

Baking powder.

This recipe uses baking powder to help the buns rise quickly, meaning you can skip the first rise of the dough and shape the bao right after mixing and kneading.

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.

Preboiling the water can sometimes lead to a firmer texture if the bao has not fully leavened or proofed.

Vinegar helps with creating a tender and moist crumb

This is because the acidity of vinegar interferes with gluten development. Gluten is a protein that can make our baked goods tough when overworked, which is why you'll often hear me talking about not overmixing your batter.

You can replicate a steamer with very little effort by placing your buns in a common kitchen sieve or colander, then suspending it over boiling water. Creating a tower from plates and tea towels will stop the steam from escaping, causing your buns to steam cook!

Buns can be made up to a day in advance and steamed to re-heat before serving.

Any brand of all-purpose flour, which has a moderate level of gluten, will do to make the bao, but you have options: For the brightest-looking buns, use bleached all-purpose flour. For deeper flavor and a tad more chew, choose unbleached flour. Either way, weigh the flour for the best results.

What kind of flour is used in bao? ›

My recipe for Bao bun dough requires five ingredients: all-purpose flour; dried yeast; sugar; cooking oil, and lukewarm water. The flour & liquid (water + oil) ratio is 2:1 by weight. It may vary a little depending on the type and the brand of your flour. The water & oil ratio is 10:1 by weight.

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."

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.

Origin:Chinese. Meaning:Bundle or package; precious treasure; guarantee.

The Bao ('bun') developed in Chinese culture as a filled form of 'Mantou,' a plain steamed dumpling which is often compared to bread.

Seasoning and dipping: Use black vinegar to add tanginess and depth of flavor to dishes like dumplings, noodles or cold appetizers. Stir-frying: Add black vinegar toward the end of stir-frying to preserve its flavor.

When consumed, vinegar helps to break down starchy food such as noodles, wheat buns and white rice. Soy sauce, the 'Chinese salt' is made from beans while vinegar is made from a variety of berries and grains. Vinegar has been used in China for thousands of years, since the Zhou Dynasty (1046 BC–256 BC).

Bread yeast likes an acidic environment, so it could aid for a better rise of the dough. Vinegar could also function as a preservative because you would lower the pH and prevent unwanted microorganisms.

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.