Banh Bao (Vietnamese Steamed Pork Buns)
If you're looking for a freeze-friendly meal that's perfect for lunchboxes, look no further. These Vietnamese Banh Baos are easily reheatable and taste just as amazing as day one!
- Prep time
- 1 hr
- Cook time
- 30 min
- Yield
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 170 g / 1 1/2 US cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp instant yeast
- 1 tsp sugar
- 75 mL / 0.3 US cup milk ((full cream))
- 75 mL / 0.3 US cup water
- 170 g / 1 1/2 US cup all-purpose flour
- 10 g / 1/8 US cup self-raising flour
- 50 g / 1/4 US cup sugar
- 1/2 lemon's juice
- 1/2 egg white
- 1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 100 g / 0.22 lb pork mince
- 50 g / 0.11 lb pork paste ((from the frozen section in Asian supermarkets))
- 3 g / 0.006 lb rehydrated woodear mushroom ((finely chopped))
- 2 water chestnuts ((finely chopped))
- 1/2 Chinese sausage ((thinly sliced))
- quail eggs ((sold fresh or in cans in Asian supermarkets))
- 1 red shallot ((finely chopped))
- 1 tbsp spring onion ((finely chopped))
- 1 tbsp fried onion
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp chicken bouillon powder
- 1/4 tsp salt ((or to taste))
- 1/2 tsp sugar ((or to taste))
- 1/4 tsp oyster sauce
- 1/3 tsp fish sauce
Instructions
- 1
Combine the flour, yeast and sugar in a bowl then pour in the water and milk. Mix it in until incorporated then let it rest for 3 hours so the yeast has time to activate.Note: Depending on where you live, you may need to let it rest for another 1-2 hours. The warmer the climate, the quicker the yeast will activate.
- 2
Pour the remaining flour, self-raising flour, sugar, lemon juice, egg white and oil into the activated mixtue and knead it until a smooth dough forms.
- 3
Let the dough rest in a bowl for 30 minutes with a cloth or glad wrap over the top.
- 4
Meanwhile, combine the pork mince and pork paste along with the pepper, chicken bouillon powder, salt, sugar, oyster sayce and fish sauce.Tip: Use a pestal and mortor to mash the ingredients together which helps to give it a smoother consistency.
- 5
Mix in the wood ear mushroom, water chestnuts, shallots, fried onions and spring onions.
- 6
Roll about 1/4 US cup of the pork mixture into a ball, flatten it in your palm and place a quail egg in the center.
- 7
Wrap the mixture around the quail egg and roll it to form a sphere then push a sliced Chinese sausage on the surface.
- 8
Leave it to sit on a plate as you roll the rest of the mince. Depending on each ball size, you’ll get roughly 6 balls.
- 9
Cut 15 cm x 15 cm (6″ x 6″) squares out of baking paper.
- 10
Divide the Banh Bao dough into equal segments and roll them into balls. Cover using a cloth as you work on each to avoid drying.
- 11
Flatten each ball into a circle approximately 20 cm (8″) wide using a rolling pin or a smooth cup.
- 12
Place a meatball in the center of the flattened dough.
- 13
Bring the top and bottom parts of the Banh Bao dough in and pinch to stick together over the meatball.
- 14
Repeat the same steps with the left and right sides of the rolled dough.
- 15
Where the openings are for each corner, push the tips in to form a heart shape. You'll end up with four hearts.
- 16
Pinch each heart's tips to close the openings.
- 17
Hold one pinched tip and pull it to the center, pinching it with the dough in the middle to allow it to stick. Repeat with all pinched tips.
- 18
Give the center one final pinch to seal all the dough.
- 19
Place the wrapped bun on a baking square.
- 20
Set up your steamer to a boil and steam the baos for 30 minutes or until the meatball is cooked.Note: Alternatively, steam the meatballs before wrapping and steam the whole bao for 10 minutes or until the Banh Bao dough is cooked.
- 21
Serve fresh as is or with a drizzle of Sirarcha!