Vietnamese Banh Bao Dough from Scratch

In a microwave-safe bowl, heat milk for 30 seconds. Ensure the milk is not to hot as you don't want to kill the yeast.

Add sugar to the warm milk and stir until dissolved. Add yeast and give it a gentle stir. Let it rest for 10 minutes. The yeast will start frothing.

Next, you'll want to add in the sugar, salt, flour, vegetable oil, and baking powder into a mixer. Using a kneading attachment for the mixing stand or manually, incorporate the dough so that it is no longer sticky and pulls cleanly.

Cover the bowl with a clean towel or plastic wrap and allow it to sit in a warm spot for at least 1 hour until the dough doubles in size.

After resting, remove the dough from the bowl, add the lime juice, and knead it to remove bubbles.

Shape it into a log and divide it in halves until you have 12 pieces. Roll them into a ball and cover them with a damp cloth. Allow 15 minutes before shaping the dough.

Place one ball into a floured surface and allow it to form a ¼ -inch circle with edges that are thinner at the perimeter than the center.

Add the filling as needed.

Allow the steamer to come to a rolling boil, then turn the heat to low. Place the buns on the steamer with the buns about 1-inch apart.

Buns with filling should be cooked between 6-8 minutes where buns with raw filling should be cooked between 13-16 minutes.

Wrap the lid of the steamer with a kitchen towel to avoid water from dripping into the buns.