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Chinese BBQ Pork buns in a bamboo steamer

Steamed Chinese BBQ Pork Buns (Char Siu Bao)

Soft, fluffy steamed buns filled with sweet and savory Chinese BBQ pork, just like the dim sum classic.
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Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 6 buns
Calories: 208kcal
Author: Herman Chan

Ingredients 

Dough

Filling

Instructions

  • For the dough, add cake flour, sugar, baking powder, instant dry yeast, neutral oil, and warm milk to a stand mixer and knead for 8 minutes until dough is smooth and springy (adjust with an additional tablespoon of water as needed). If kneading by hand, knead for 10 minutes. Cover and let rest for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
    200 g cake flour, 1 Tbsp sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp instant dry yeast, 1 Tbsp neutral oil, 100 g warm milk
  • While dough is resting, combine soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, hoisin sauce, char siu sauce, water, sesame oil, and cornstarch and mix to combine. In a wok or medium pan, add oil and onions and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add BBQ pork and the sauce mixture, then let simmer on low heat until sauce is thickened but still runny, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool down.
    1 Tbsp neutral oil, ½ cup diced onion, 1 cup cooked BBQ pork, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tsp granulated sugar, 1 Tbsp hoisin sauce, 1 Tbsp char siu sauce, ½ cup water, ½ tsp sesame oil, 1.5 tsp cornstarch
  • Punch the dough to flatten. On a floured surface, knead the dough a few times, roll into a cylinder shape, then cut into 6 pieces. Flatten each piece of dough with your palm, then use a rolling pin to roll the edges until you have a round disc about 5 inches wide and ½ inch thick. Place 2 tablespoon filling in the center, then pleat the dough edges up and around the filling to enclose completely. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover with a damp towel and rest for 30 minutes.
  • In a steamer lined with parchment paper, place buns and steam for 8 minutes. Turn off heat and let buns sit covered for another 5 minutes before opening to ensure dough is fluffy.

Notes

Chef's Tips:
  • Let the dough proof in a humid environment like an oven. I put warm water in there while it proofs so it comes out fluffy.
  • Roll the dough up and down towards center so edges are thinner and center is thicker. This ensures the filling won't seep the bottom of the bao and the top is thinner and lighter when pleating.
  • Once the baos are done steaming, don’t open right away or the dough will collapse. Let it steam in there for 5 more mins.

Nutrition

Calories: 208kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 373mg | Potassium: 108mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 28IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 1mg