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

FAQs

Why add vinegar to bao? ›

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.

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.

Adding baking powder also yields a more forgiving dough during the second rise. I have done some testing for you. Below is a comparison of the exact same recipe/process to the best of my ability: same quantities of everything, shaped and proofed over the same time, steamed in the same compartment in my steamer etc…

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.

Soy-ginger sauce: This simple dipping sauce is quick to make. I mix soy sauce (or tamari or coconut aminos), finely chopped ginger and sesame seeds. The ginger will infuse the soy sauce. So sometimes I make this ahead of time so the ginger flavor will be stronger.

- Put a small amount of water in a wok, and put a small bowl onto the wok - Place a plate with some greaseproof paper on top of the bowl (you can also use a large saucepan if you wish) - Bring the water to boil - Put the baos onto the greaseproof paper - Place a tall lid on the wok, or a flat lid if you are using a ...

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.

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

We always serve these buns with thinly sliced carrot and/or cucumber, fresh cilantro or mint, avocado, chiles, and sesame seeds. A few pickled jalapeños or the banh mi pickles from this recipe would also be excellent here.

Grain-based black vinegar (醋, cù) is a fixture of Chinese pantries that adds a rich, slightly sweet, tangy flavor to raw salads and cooked dishes. The same Maillard reaction that turns your onions into sweet, concentrated slivers of caramelized flavor is responsible for black vinegar's deep umami.

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.

It is used to flavor dishes — often to add a brightness or a “punchy” flavor to whatever you are making — and as a preserving and pickling agent to keep foods fresh.