Baozi {Chinese Steamed Meat Buns}

There are some recipes that look deceptively plain or simple, but will totally blow your mind once you dig into the food. This, my friends, is one such recipe.

I’ve had dumplings, wontons and pot stickers before. But not steamed meat buns. I learned about these beauties while looking for inspiration for this month’s themed blogging challenge. And of course, as you may have guessed, the theme for this month is Asia, the traditional south-east Asian/Oriental cuisine.

These are Chinese meat filled buns. And by buns, I do mean the kind of bread that is made with a traditional yeast dough.

We proof the yeast, knead the dough, allow to rise and roll it out. It is then filled with a simple meat filling, folded into neat (ahem…no judging my folding skills, please) pouches, allowed to rise some more and then, steamed! Yes, instead of baking or cooking in the dry heat of an oven, these buns are steamed.

The result is one of the softest, most delicate breads you’ll ever eat. I mean, look at that! What started out as regular bread dough is transformed into something special, yet simple enough to be enjoyed any time.

These kind of steamed filled buns are common throughout China and parts of other Asian countries. Once I made them and tasted one, I was instantly reminded of the plain little breads served with roasted duck at a local Chinese restaurant here. It is basically plain bao (steamed buns), but this particular restaurant called them steamed pancakes or something to that effect. I was originally under the impression it involved a batter of some sort, but really, it was this very bun in a slightly different avatar. I think it is commonly referred to as mantou when there is no filling in the bun.

But, you must definitely make these buns with some sort of meat filling. It is so delicious, filling and at the same time, light. Traditionally, pork is used as the filling, but beef, chicken or even shrimp may be used. I used chicken here cooked with some onions, ginger and peppers with some soy sauce and vinegar. Many recipes I found online actually tell you to use raw meat for the filling and cook it as the buns are steamed. But I decided to play it safe and used cooked chicken filling. The filling still remained juicy and delicious, so safe to say, it worked.

I made a quick ginger and green chili infused soy sauce for dipping the buns. They vanished literally like hot cakes at our house. It was so good and I am glad to have found one more wonderful recipe to add to our meal rotation.

BAOZI {CHINESE STEAMED MEAT BUNS}

You will need: (Makes 8 large-ish buns)

For the buns (adapted from The Kitchn),

• Active dry yeast – 1 1/2 tsp
• Warm water – 1/2 cup + extra, as needed
• All-purpose flour – 2 cups
• Sugar – 1 tbsp
• Baking powder – 1/2 tsp
• Salt – 1/2 tsp

For the chicken filling,

• Oil – 2 tbsp
• Onion – 1 small, finely chopped
• Ginger – 2 tsp, grated
• Garlic – 2 cloves, finely chopped
• Red bell pepper – 1 small, seeds removed and finely chopped
• Ground chicken – 1 lb (can also use beef, pork, turkey or chopped shrimp)
• Soy sauce – 2 tbsp
• Rice vinegar – 2 tsp
• Black pepper powder – 1/4 tsp
• Salt – to taste
• Cilantro leaves – 2 tbsp, finely chopped

For the ginger-chili-soy dipping sauce,

• Ginger – 2 tbsp, finely chopped
• Green chilies – 2, cut into thin rounds
• Soy sauce – 1/4 cup
• Rice vinegar – 1 tbsp
• Water – 1/2 cup, boiling hot
• Sugar – 1 tsp

How to:

• Chicken filling: Heat oil in a large pan. Add ginger, garlic and onion and saute till onions are translucent. Then add the bell peppers and saute for a minute or so.
• Now add the chicken and break it down to tiny clumps. Saute for a couple of minutes till meat starts to turn opaque.
• Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, black pepper and salt. Stir around and cook for 3-4 minutes till chicken is fully cooked, all the while breaking down any large pieces into tiny bits.
• Sprinkle cilantro leaves and remove from heat. Allow to cool completely before filling the buns.
• Baozi or Chinese Steamed Meat Buns: Proof the yeast before you begin. In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water. Allow to rest for 10 minutes, till bubbly and frothy.
• In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Pour in the yeast mixture and mix until the dough begins to form a ball. If it looks too dry, add more water, a tablespoon at a time, until it forms a ragged clump. Now, tip the dough out onto a floured countertop and knead by hand until the dough is smooth and elastic, around 8 minutes.
• Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl, flip the dough to coat it all over in oil, and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Allow to rest until it doubles in size, approximately 2 to 3 hours.
• Punch the dough down, then divide into two portions. Roll each portion into a rectangular log, dividing each log into 4 pieces. Roll a piece of dough into a ball, then roll it into a thin, flat disc, keeping the center slightly thicker than the edges.
• Spoon some filling (around 2 tbsp) into the center of the rolled disc. Pleat the edges up around the filling and pinch together to form a pouch-like bun. Place the bun on lightly greased parchment paper and cover with a kitchen towel. Continue to make buns till all the dough is used up. Take care to place the buns a little apart from each other on the parchment paper, as they will rise further. Allow the filled buns to rest for another 20 – 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile prepare the steamer vessel. Add 3 inches of water in the bottom vessel and place the steamer rack or basket on top. Place the parchment paper with the buns into the steamer rack. Do not crowd the buns as they will become bigger as they steam and cook. Steam buns in batches if you must, keeping the uncooked buns covered till then.
• Close the steamer vessel, turn on the heat to high and allow the water to come to a boil. Then reduce heat to medium and steam buns for 12-15 minutes.
• Remove the vessel from the heat. Crack open the lid just a smidge, but not all the way. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before removing the lid. Remove the buns and serve immediately. The buns can also be stored in the refrigerator, simply reheat by steaming or microwaving or even pan-searing (just like pot stickers) before serving.
• Serve buns with a soy sauce based dipping sauce. Recipe follows.
• Ginger-Chili-Soy Dipping Sauce: Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. Allow to cool completely and serve with the steamed meat buns.

Bite into a soft and succulent baozi, all the while imagining why you never made it before!
It’s so good, trust me.

Like I mentioned above, this blog post is part of the monthly “Cooking With Friends” themed blog post challenge. This challenge was started by a bunch of virtual friends united by their love of food, with the aim of tackling a different food related theme each month. If you want to try this month’s theme, please feel free to do so and link your recipe in the comments section. We’d love to check it out.

Meanwhile, check out what the others in the group have come up with this month.

• Dolphia of Story Of Cooks
• Jayasri of My Veg Fare
• Jyothi of Curry Trail
• Meena fromElephant and the coconut trees
• Sujatha of Spices N Treats

Here is a recap of the previous months’ posts.

• July 2015: Cooking with tea (Milk Tea, Cardamom And Rose Cake {With Brown Butter And Cardamom Glaze})
• June 2015: No-bake, no-fuss dessert for Father’s Day (Homemade Chocolate Truffles)
• May 2015: Cooking with a new-to-you produce (Asparagus, Peas And Egg Masala)
• April 2015: Frozen Treat (Mango Ice Cream Sundae)
• March 2015: Beverages/Cocktails (Sunrise Mocktail)
• February 2015: Snacks (Masala Vadai And Cardamom Tea)

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I am sharing this over at Angie’s amazing blog link party at The Novice Gardener and Saucy Saturdays.