Vietnamese Steamed Buns Banh Bao Recipes

BANH BAO (VIETNAMESE STEAMED PORK BUNS)

Steps:

• 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.
• 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.
• Let the dough rest in a bowl for 30 minutes with a cloth or glad wrap over the top.
• 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.
• Mix in the wood ear mushroom, water chestnuts, shallots, fried onions and spring onions.
• 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.
• Wrap the mixture around the quail egg and roll it to form a sphere then push a sliced Chinese sausage on the surface.
• 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.
• Cut 15 cm x 15 cm (6″ x 6″) squares out of baking paper.
• 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.
• Flatten each ball into a circle approximately 20 cm (8″) wide using a rolling pin or a smooth cup.
• Place a meatball in the center of the flattened dough.
• Bring the top and bottom parts of the Banh Bao dough in and pinch to stick together over the meatball.
• Repeat the same steps with the left and right sides of the rolled dough.
• Where the openings are for each corner, push the tips in to form a heart shape. You'll end up with four hearts.
• Pinch each heart's tips to close the openings.
• 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.
• Give the center one final pinch to seal all the dough.
• Place the wrapped bun on a baking square.
• 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.
• Serve fresh as is or with a drizzle of Sirarcha!

VIETNAMESE STEAMED BUNS (BANH BAO)

Steps:

• Submerge mushroom in hot water until softened. Take them out, dry and finely juliene. Reserve water.
• Heat some oil in a skillet, put in onions and let it sweat for a while. Stir in the rest of filling except boiled eggs and BBQ pork. Season with fish sauce and pepper to taste.
• Add sugar to milk to dissolve. Add flour one cup at a time, after each time kneed the dough before adding the next cup. Put dough into a large mixing bowl, put a damp cheese cloth over to prevent drying out.
• Cut a handful of dough (size to your choice), roll out thin (use bread roller or the smaller dumpling roller). Add a spoonful of filling, 1 piece of egg, BBQ pork. Seal dough tight around filling and put on a cut-out piece of parchment paper. Steam buns for about 15 minutes. These buns freeze pretty well as well, if you want to make a big batch at a time.

BANH BAO

Steps:

• Mix pork, shallots, fish sauce, oyster sauce, and soy sauce together in a large bowl. Let mixture marinate in the refrigerator, about 30 minutes.
• Combine self-rising flour, milk, and sugar in another large bowl; knead until dough is smooth and no longer sticky. Cover dough with cheesecloth; let rest, about 5 minutes.
• Divide dough into 18 balls. Roll out each ball into a circle with a rolling pin on a floured work surface. Place a spoonful of the pork mixture in the center; top with 2 sausage slices and an egg quarter. Gather the edges of each circle together like a coin purse; twist and pinch to seal the bun.
• Cut waxed paper into eighteen 2-inch squares. Place each bun on a waxed paper square. Arrange 1 inch apart in a steamer; cover with lid.
• Steam buns until puffed up, about 30 minutes.

VIETNAMESE STEAMED BUNS (BANH BAO)

Steps:

• Mix flour, milk, and sugar together in a bowl. Cover and allow to rise, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Punch dough down and separate into 20 equal-sized bun shapes.
• Place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil. Add buns, cover, and steam until tender, about 15 minutes.