Baked Bao Bun with Lamb Filling (羊肉烤包子)
Intensely flavoured with spices and cooked to perfection, baked bao bun with lamb filling is super delicious. Follow my recipe & video to make them!
- Prep time
- 40 min
- Cook time
- 30 min
- Yield
- 12 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
- 150 g lamb, diced (see note 1)
- 11/2 tsp cumin powder
- 1/2 tsp dark soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 3 tbsp water
- 30 g lamb fat, diced (or 1 tbsp cooking oil, see note 2)
- 2 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 1 small carrot, grated
- 250 g all-purpose/plain flour (see note 3)
- 1 tsp instant dry yeast (see note 4)
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp sugar
- 130 ml lukewarm water (adjust a little if necessary, see note 5)
- 1/2 tbsp cooking oil
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
- 1
Put diced lamb into a bowl. Add cumin powder, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, cornstarch and water. Mix until no liquid can be seen.
- 2
Cook diced lamb fat in a wok over low heat until oil appears and the pieces brown. Discard them and keep the oil.
- 3
Stir in onion. Fry until it slightly browns.
- 4
Add cumin seeds, chilli flakes and carrot. Fry for one minute or so.
- 5
Transfer to a plate to cool. Then mix with the marinated lamb. Set aside.
- 6
If kneading with a stand mixer: Add flour, yeast, baking powder, sugar and water to the bowl. Knead on low speed until a very smooth dough forms (about 8 minutes).
- 7
If kneading by hand: Mix flour, yeast, baking powder and sugar. Add water gradually. Mix with chopsticks/spatula until no more loose flour can be seen. Combine and knead briefly into a dough. Leave to rest for 10 minutes (covered). Knead again until very smooth.
- 8
Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a disk-like wrapper.
- 9
Place a spoonful of filling in the middle of a wrapper then fold into a bao shape.
- 10
Place assembled bao buns into a baking tray (Brushed with a thin layer of oil or lined with parchment paper).
- 11
Leave to rest for 30 minutes until they expand a little (see note 6).
- 12
Brush a thin layer of oil on the buns. Sprinkle sesame seeds over.
- 13
Preheat oven at 410°F/210°C/Fan 190°C. Place the baking tray on the middle rack. Cook for 18 mins.
- 14
Then turn the heat up to 480°F/250°C/Fan 230°C. Cook for a further 3-5 mins. If you’re making these buns for the first time, be attentive not to burn them. Please feel free to adjust the time if necessary as different ovens perform slightly differently.