Steamed Buns (Baozi)

Steamed buns, also known as baozi, are a delicious fluffy stuffed dumpling originating from China, where they have been enjoyed for over a thousand years. While they first became popular in northern China, baozi can now be found across Asia, from Japan to Korea and even parts of Southeast Asia, each region adding its own unique twist to this comforting snack.

Baozi are made with a simple dough of flour, yeast, and water, which is steamed to create a soft, fluffy texture. The filling can vary widely, from savory options like ground meats and vegetables to sweet fillings such as red bean paste. Whatever filling you choose to stuff in there, the soft and chewy bun will be the perfect compliment to those savoury flavours. On my recent visit to Japan, I could only find a pork version which is what prompted me to make these steamed buns using ground veal instead.

Components

• Ground veal
• Green onion
• Mushrooms
• Garlic cloves
• Yellow onion
• Oyster sauce
• Soy sauce
• Rice vinegar
• Sesame oil
• White pepper, salt, sugar

Making the filling

• Tip 1: Use ground veal over ground chicken or beef. Veal has the most neutral flavour in comparison to chicken or beef and the muted flavour as well as the juicy meat is the best compliment to the fluffy dough.
• Tip 2: Chop the veggies very fine- pretty much mince the ingredients. The finer chop will allow the vegetables to incorporate more evenly and smoothly to mix into the ground veal and become a paste.
• Tip 3: Mix aggressively and stir in one direction- the goal is to mix enough so that the meat becomes sticky and becomes a paste-like consistency.

Making the dough

• Tip 1: Beef tallow helps soften the buns- this is the ideal ingredient because of the flavour it offers as well as its colour. The white colour of the beef tallow will keep the dumpling wrapper a nice white colour. If you’re in a pinch you could use ghee or butter, however it may cause the dough to have a slightly more beige hue.
• Tip 2: Knead for a while- whether you knead in the stand mixer or by hand- make sure to really knead the dough to develop the gluten which will strengthen the dough ultimately allowing it to hold its nice fluffy yet round shape. If you’re kneading by hand, this process could take 15-20 minutes.
• Tip 3: Remove as many air bubbles as possible after the first rise. This can best be achieved by rolling out the dough and folding it on to itself multiple times. I sometimes use my pasta roller to speed up the process of getting all those air bubbles out and if you have access to this tool, I encourage you to use it (for the sake of your wrists).

Tips for perfect Steamed buns

• Tip 1: Don’t use too much filling- the dumpling will burst and the fluid will cause the bun to loose its shape.
• Tip 2: Don’t roll out the wrapper too thin- the wrapper should be strong enough to hold the filling and its structure will be compromised if the wrapper is rolled out too thin.
• Tip 3: Make sure to allow the buns to rise a final time once they are stuffed. This allows the yeast to do its thing in making those puffy, fluffy dumplings as good as they are.
• Tip 4: Don’t steam the buns on too high of a heat or in too much water too close to the steamer basket. Water can compromise the texture and strength of the dumpling and cause it to collapse.
• Tip 5: Allow 8-10 minutes for the buns to rest after cooking. Once ready to open, slightly create a gap with a toothpick and leave for a few minutes to gradually introduce the cold room temperature to the hot baozi steaming environment. If the lid is opened too quick the buns may deflate and shrink up.

How to freeze and reheat Baozi

Steamed buns should be frozen after they have been steamed. Once the buns are fully cooked, allow them cool completely, then place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until firm (approximately 40 minutes). Once frozen, transfer the buns to a resealable bag or airtight container to keep them from sticking together. To reheat, steam the buns from frozen for about 10-12 minutes on medium-high, or until they’re warmed through. This method is best to maintain their soft, fluffy texture.

Special tools:

Small bamboo rolling pin: A small bamboo rolling pin gives you more control and precision when rolling out the dough, allowing you to apply just the right amount of pressure. This makes it easier to get an even thickness, especially around the edges, so your baozi will have the perfect texture every time.

Bamboo steamer: A bamboo steamer is perfect for baozi because it lets the steam circulate evenly, keeping the buns tender and fluffy. The bamboo also helps absorb extra moisture, so the buns don’t get soggy during steaming.

5 from 1 vote

Steamed Buns (Baozi)

These soft and fluffy baozi are filled with juicy ground veal, seasoned with fragrant garlic, onions, and a hint of soy sauce for that savoury, umami flavour. Steamed to perfection, each bite offers a tender, flavorful filling wrapped in a light, pillowy dough. These buns are a labour of love and the best part is you will have extra left to freeze so you can enjoy the fruits of your labour for days to come.

Recipe Keys: B Beef

Print Recipe

Prep Time 4 hrs Cook Time 20 mins Total Time 4 hrs 20 mins

Ingredients

Dough

• 3 cups All-purpose flour (480 g)
• 1 & ¹⁄₄ cup water (warm) (285 g)
• 2 tbsp beef tallow (melted/softened)
• 2 tsp yeast
• 2 tsp sugar

Filling

• 1 lb. Ground veal
• 1 bunch Green onion
• 6 Cremini mushroom
• 1 Yellow onion (small)
• 6-8 Garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp Oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp Soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Sesame oil
• ¹⁄₂ tbsp Rice vinegar
• 1 tsp Browning & seasoning sauce
• ¹⁄₄ tsp White pepper
• ¹⁄₂ tsp Salt
• ¹⁄₂ tsp Sugar

Dumpling sauce

• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 3 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp samyang chili sauce

Instructions

1. To make the dough, combine warm water, yeast, sugar and beef tallow. Whisk to combine. Then add in the flour and stir using a spatula until you get a rough dough. Knead in a stand mixer on speed 2 for about 5-6 minutes. Then knead by hand another 5-10 minutes until you have a smooth dough ball that bounces back after making an indent with your finger. If kneading completely by hand you may have to knead for 15-20 minutes. Cover and let it rest until doubled in size about 45 mins-1 hour.
2. While the dough is resting, make the filling. Finely chop up yellow onions, green onion (use the light green and dark green part). and cremini mushrooms. Peel and mince garlic cloves.
3. In a pan on medium high heat, sauté the minced mushrooms in a little bit of olive oil with a sprinkle of salt, stirring every few minutes. About 4-6 minutes until browned.
4. Combine ground veal, minced garlic, chopped onions, sautéed mushrooms, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, browning seasoning sauce, white pepper, salt, and sugar. Mix well using your hands, spatula or spoon. Use quick, continuous stirring in one direction until the mixture is well combined and becomes sticky and paste-like. Cover with Saran Wrap and place in the fridge until ready to use.
5. Once dough is finished resting, punch down to release some of the air. Use a rolling pin to flatten out the dough then fold the dough as if you are laminating it. Repeat this process of rolling and folding in opposite directions 4-6 times until most/all gas bubbles are removed- the dough should look very smooth. Tip: if you have a pasta roller, use it to flatten out the dough and make the process of getting those air bubbles out much easier.
6. Once the dough is smooth, flatten the dough out into a large sheet (as if you are making cinnamon rolls) and tightly start rolling from the bottom up to form a log. Hold both ends of the log and slap it on the counter a few times to compact the dough again. Cut the log into 14 pieces each piece weighing about 52-53 g.
7. Knead each piece of dough into a ball. Keep the dough covered with Saran Wrap to prevent it from drying out and if sticky, lightly sprinkle with flour. Make sure to line up the dough balls in the order you knead them so when you are finished shaping all of them into balls, you can start shaping the first ball working to the last.
8. Take a dough ball, flatten out using your palm and use a small rolling pin and gentle pressure to roll 2-3 times to create a flat circle. Then roll the dough out going around the edges about 12-16 times until you have a circular dumpling wrapper that is slightly thicker in the centre than the edges.
9. Add about 1 tbsp of filling to the dumplings ( approximately 48g ) and flatten the filling into the wrapper. Pleat the wrapper shut if you are familiar with the technique or simply gather all the excess dough and pinch at the top to seal. * watch the video in the blog section to get a visual *
10. When finished shaping all the buns cover with a damp towel and allow to rest once more for 25-45 minutes. The dough should be smooth and puffed up once this resting period is over. This step is going to ensure your bao are soft and fluffy. *The time you allow for the final rise will depend largely on the temperature of the room- if the room is warm, rising may take less time and if cold, rising will take more time

11. To steam, Pour about 2 cups of cold water into a pot or wok along with 1 tbsp white vinegar. Add the steamer basket lined with parchment paper and gently place bao on top. If you’re using a steamer with a glass lid, wrap the lid with a clean cotton towel to absorb excess moisture and secure the lid closed. Now turn the heat to high and allow 1-2 minutes for the water to come up to a boil. Once you see steam coming out of the pan, reduce the heat to medium/ med-low for 15 minutes without opening the lid.

12. Once the cook time is up, take the pan off the heat and keep the lid on for 8-10 minutes. About 8 minutes in, place a chopstick in-between the lid and the steamer basket to gently allow the cold air in and then proceed to open 2-3 minutes later. Lifting the lid too soon may cause the dumpling to collapse.