- Baozi (Bao, Pau) are Chinese buns made from a yeast dough stuffed with various fillings from savory to sweet. They are often eaten for breakfast and as snacks. I filled the Baozi with seasoned pork, onion, mushroom, and spinach. They are steamed until puffy and the filling is cooked through. I actually do not currently own a steamer basket, so I used the steamer rack in my rice cooker to make 3-4 Baozi at a time. A multi-level bamboo steamer basket would be nice to cook many Baozi at once.
- This was the first time I have ever made steamed buns, so my pleating needs quite a bit more practice. They don’t have to be perfect, but here is a video showing the technique. Make sure the dough completely seals the filling inside.
After filling, the Baozi can be frozen for future use. I place them on the parchment squares, then in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Once frozen through, they can be carefully transferred to a freezer bag. I added about 10 minutes to the steaming to make sure the pork filling is completely cooked through. I will occasionally insert a meat thermometer into the center of one to make sure the pork is heated enough.
Ingredients
Dough:
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water (105-115 degrees F)
4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Filling:
1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 cup diced mushrooms
3 cups baby spinach
2 pounds ground pork
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
salt t taste
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