Banh Bao Vietnamese Steamed Buns (Printable)
Soft steamed buns filled with savory pork, sausage, mushrooms, and egg.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dough
01 - 3.5 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 tablespoons sugar
03 - 1 teaspoon instant yeast
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
05 - 3/4 cup warm milk
06 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
07 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Filling
08 - 10.5 ounces ground pork
09 - 2 Chinese sausages (lap xuong), thinly sliced
10 - 4 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and finely chopped
11 - 1 small onion, finely diced
12 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
13 - 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
14 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
15 - 1 teaspoon sugar
16 - 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
17 - 2 hard-boiled eggs, quartered
18 - 1 spring onion, chopped
# How-To Steps:
01 - In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, instant yeast, baking powder, and salt. Pour in warm milk and vegetable oil. Knead the mixture for 8 to 10 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. Cover the bowl and let rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
02 - Combine ground pork, Chinese sausage, shiitake mushrooms, onion, garlic, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, white pepper, and spring onion in a mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
03 - Divide the risen dough into 8 equal portions. Roll each portion into a ball, then flatten into a disc measuring approximately 4 inches in diameter.
04 - Place a generous spoonful of filling and a quarter piece of hard-boiled egg in the center of each dough disc. Gather the edges upward and pinch to seal completely, shaping into a round bun.
05 - Place each formed bun on a small square of parchment paper. Let the buns rest for 15 minutes while preparing your steamer.
06 - Arrange buns in the steamer over boiling water. Steam for 15 to 20 minutes until the dough is cooked through and fluffy when touched.
07 - Remove buns from steamer and serve warm.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The combination of savory pork and sweet Chinese sausage creates this incredible umami explosion that keeps everyone coming back for seconds
- These buns freeze beautifully so you can always have homemade comfort food ready in minutes
02 -
- Make sure your seal is tight or the filling will escape during steaming
- Dont skip the vinegar trick in your steaming water for the whitest buns possible
03 -
- Let the filling cool completely before wrapping to prevent premature dough activation
- Use a bamboo steamer if you can find one, it makes a noticeable difference in texture