Bánh Bao (Vietnamese Steamed Pork Buns)
Make your own soft and pillowy banh bao or Vietnamese steamed pork buns for breakfast or a quick snack on the go. These steamed buns filled with juicy pork, boiled eggs, and Chinese sausages are a classic nostalgic treat.
Servings 10 bao buns
Calories 439kcal
Ingredients
Pork Filling
- ½ pack (20 g) bean thread noodles soaked and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 lb ground pork
- 3 oz shallots minced
- ½ tablespoon vegetable oil
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon fish sauce
- ½ tablespoon sesame oil
- 5 large eggs boiled and cut in half
- 2 Chinese sausages cut into 1 inch pieces
Banh Bao Dough
- 180 ml (3/4 cup) whole milk 110 degrees 110°F or 43°C
- 1 ¼ teaspoon (6g) active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon (15g) granulated sugar
- 2 ¼ cup (300 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (100 g) wheat starch
- ½ cup + 1 1/2 tbsp (70g) powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ teaspoon (6 g) baking powder, divided
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) vegetable shortening
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) lemon juice
- 1 large (35 g) egg white
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) vegetable oil
Instructions
Pork Filling
- Soak the bean thread noodles. Soak the bean thread noodles in hot water for 1 minute. Drain and cut the noodles into 1/2-inch pieces.
- Mix the filling. In a large mixing bowl, add the ground pork, shallots, vegetable oil, baking soda, salt, black pepper, sugar, chicken bouillon powder, soy sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil, and bean thread noodles. Mix until thoroughly combined. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight.
Bao Dough
- Prepare the yeast. Warm the milk to 110°For 43°C. Mix in the yeast and granulated sugar. Cover with plastic wrap and bloom for 5 minutes if instant yeast or 10 for active dry yeast.
- Sift the dry ingredients and vegetable shortening. In the bowl of your stand mixer with a paddle attachment, sift the all-purpose flour, wheat starch, powdered sugar, salt, and 1 teaspoon baking powder. Then, mix on low until combined. Next, add the shortening and continue mixing until the shortening is broken up into small pieces.
- Activate the baking powder with lemon juice. In a separate small bowl, combine lemon juice with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder. Let it fizzle for 5 min.
- Liquify the egg in oil. In another separate bowl, combine the room-temperature egg white with vegetable oil. Incorporate by pulling up the egg yolk with a fork a few times until combined.
- Mix all the mixtures together. While the stand mixer is on low speed, add the milk mixture, then add the egg and oil mix, then lastly add the baking powder mix for 30 seconds.
- Switch to a dough hook and knead the dough. After 30 seconds, switch out for the dough hook and mix on level 2 speed for 2 minutes or until it forms into a ball in the mixer and is no longer sticking to the bowl. The dough should be tacky but not overly sticky. Take the dough out and gently knead the dough by hand for 1 minute. Form the dough into a ball and transfer it into a lightly greased large bowl.
- Proof the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm area (100°F or 38°C) for about 1-1.5 hours or until double in size
Assemble
- Divide the meat. Divide the meat into 10 equal parts and form them into meatballs with one Chinese sausage piece in the center. Microwave the meatballs for 45 seconds and drain any excess juices. Place 1/2 an egg on top of each meatball. Set aside.
- Divide and roll out the dough. Once the dough has doubled in size, deflate the dough and divide it into 10 equal pieces and roll it into smooth balls. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent them from drying. Then, roll out the dough into 6-7 inch discs using a rolling pin with thinner edges and a thicker center.
- Add the filling and form the bun. Add the meatball and egg filling. Wrap the dough around the filling to form a ball. Tightly pleat by pinching the dough in a circle and seal. When you reach the end of the disc continue pinching around the center two or three times to fully seal the bao. Shape the bao into a round circle on your workspace.
- Let the buns rest. Place parchment paper squares or cupcake liners underneath the buns, cover them with a tea towel, and let the buns rest for 15 minutes.
- Steam the buns. While the buns rest, prepare add water to your steamer and bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. Steam the buns in batches 1-2 inches apart for 10 minutes. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use a kitchen scale: this banh bao recipe is incredibly precise and requires exact measurements down to the gram. The best way to ensure a foolproof bao bun is to use a kitchen scale. I also like using a kitchen scale to divide the fillings and dough to ensure they all are uniform.
- Always use fresh yeast. Fresh yeast is crucial for a light, fluffy rise. I like using single-use packets for the freshest yeast.
- Measure the temperature of the milk. The temperature of the milk should be at around 110°F or 43°C. This is the perfect temperature for the yeast to bloom. Any hotter and the heat will kill the yeast.
- If the dough is too sticky, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time until it becomes tacky and doesn't stick to the bowl.
- If the dough is too dry, add 1 tablespoon of warm water at a time until it reaches a tacky consistency. You don't want the dough to be too dry, the seam will not properly seal when you pinch if it is and the filling will ooze out during the steaming process.
- Proof the dough in a warm dark place. If you have a proofing function on your oven, use it. The proofing function allows the dough to grow at an ideal 100°F temperature. Make sure the dough has doubled in size before dividing it.
- Pinch to seal the dough. Make sure to tightly pinch the dough when shaping, to prevent the dough from splitting open during the steaming process.
- Make sure to rest the buns for 15 minutes after shaping. This is crucial for that slight rise and fluffiness in the bao bun. Be careful not to wait too long because the yeast will over-proof and create a gap between the dough and the filling.
- Wrap the lid of your steamer with a dishcloth. Wrap your steamer lid with a dishcloth to prevent condensation from dripping down into your steamed pork buns and making them wrinkly.
Nutrition
Calories: 439kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 133mg | Sodium: 658mg | Potassium: 323mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 170IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 3mg