{"id":1683292,"date":"2021-08-11T07:54:37","date_gmt":"2021-08-11T12:54:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/?p=1683292"},"modified":"2024-04-16T08:14:09","modified_gmt":"2024-04-16T13:14:09","slug":"how-to-make-bao-buns-baozi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/article\/how-to-make-bao-buns-baozi\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Make Bao Buns (Baozi) from Scratch"},"content":{"rendered":"

Growing up in my parents' bustling kitchen, I knew it was a special occasion if my dad brought down the bamboo steamers from our highest shelf and started making yeasted dough. This could only mean one thing: baozi<\/em>, also known in the U.S. as steamed pork buns or bao buns.<\/p>\r\n

Back then, there were only a couple of places we could go when craving the fragrant, soft buns filled with juicy minced pork. Now they've gained so much popularity, restaurants all over the country carry some variation. Times have changed, but it still feels like a special occasion to make baozi at home. While the process is labor-intensive, it can be a wonderful family activity. So pull up your nearest and dearest, and learn about these delicious steamed pork buns!<\/p>\r\n\r\n

What Is a Bao Bun?<\/h2>\r\n

The answer is more complex than you might think. If you say \"bao buns\" to someone who grew up in a Chinese household, they might give you a quizzical look. The word \"bao\" in Chinese (\u5305) essentially means bun, so the phrase \"bao bun\" is not very descriptive. Instead, there is a wide variety of bao types. The one most people think of is called Baozi, a steamed bun with a savory filling, and is the recipe I'll share today. Other popular types of bao are Cha Shao Bao (barbeque pork bun), Sheng Jian Bao (pork buns that are pan-fried after steaming), Gua Bao (popularized in America by chef David Chang<\/a>) and Xiao Long Bao (known as soup dumplings in the U.S.).<\/p>\r\n\r\n

The Best Baozi Fillings<\/h2>\r\n

Making baozi at home means you can experiment with different kinds of fillings. Traditional baozi are made with a simple pork filling. You can use pork that is ground at the grocery store, or for more texture, buy a piece of pork shoulder, loin or belly and mince it at home.<\/p>\r\n

My family also uses napa cabbage, a popular addition to dumplings<\/a> and bao alike. You can customize your filling by mixing in your favorite vegetables, like grated carrot, mushrooms and scallion, or use different kinds of meat. Here are a few tips for making pan-fried dumplings<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

Though baozi are most often meat buns, they can also be vegetarian. Use either a meat substitute<\/a>, or a mixture of firm tofu, chopped bean thread noodles, cabbage, carrot and mushroom, as my family does.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

How to Make Bao Buns (Baozi)<\/h2>\r\n

The ingredients for baozi are simple. The tricky part is the assembly, but I'll walk you through each step! I'm sharing my dad's recipe, adapted with tips and tricks from friends and videos through the years. The biggest change from my dad's recipe is that I provide measurements\u2014many Chinese home cooks, including my family, don't believe in measuring. Instead, you should be able to tell how much seasoning is needed by the fragrance and texture. You can certainly work up to that level of expertise, but below you'll find measurements to help get you started.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Ingredients<\/h3>\r\n

Dough<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n