Description
Moist, fluffy, and stuffed with a mixture of napa cabbage, bamboo shoots, and mushrooms, these vegetable bao buns are restaurant quality!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 1 pound napa cabbage, shredded
- 2 oz bamboo shoots, finely chopped
- 2 oz fresh shiitake mushrooms, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Bao Buns:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast mixed with 1 1/2 teaspoon boiling hot water
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil or vegetable oil
- 12 cupcake liners
Instructions
To make the filling:
- Heat the neutral oil in a pan over medium heat, add the cabbage and cook for 5 minutes, until the cabbage has softened.
- Add the bamboo shoots and shiitake mushrooms. Cook for 3 minutes and turn the heat off.
- Transfer the vegetables to a bowl. Stir in sesame oil, soy sauce, and sugar. Season with a little salt and white ground pepper if needed. Mix well and let the vegetable mixture cool to room temperature.
To make the bao dough:
- Sift the flour in the bowl of a stand mixer and add the sugar, salt, and baking powder. Stir a few times to combine the ingredients.
- Place the dough hook on the mixer and, going at medium low speed, add the active dry yeast, water and oil. Mix for 7 minutes.
- Meanwhile, lightly grease a bowl and set it aside.
- Lightly wet your hands, or rub a little oil on them, and scoop the dough. Shape the dough into a ball and transfer to a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough sit for 1 hour.
- Transfer the dough onto a flat surface and punch it a couple of times. Shape the dough into a ball and place it back in the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.
- Place the dough on a flat surface and briefly knead it to get rid of the air bubbles.
Cut the dough into 12 equal pieces (about 1.85 oz per piece). Cover the pieces with a kitchen towel. - Grab 12 cupcake liners and line them up.
- Roll each piece of dough and gently flatten to create a disc that’s about 4 to 5 inches in diameter. When you do this, make sure the center is thicker than the edges so the center can hold the filling.
- Add about 2 heaping tablespoons of the filling in the center of the dough and pleat and pinch the edges until the bun is properly closed on top.
- Place each bun in a cupcake liner and set up your steamer (the steaming rack or basket should be about 2 inches above water to prevent the water from touching the buns).
- Place the buns in the steamer, cover, and steam for 12 to 14 minutes. Turn the heat off and let the buns rest in the steamer, with the lid on, for 5 minutes to finish the cooking and give them a lovely airy texture.
- Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
To refrigerate: Put baozi in an airtight storage container. If you are putting one on top of the other, place a piece of parchment paper to prevent the buns from sticking together. Cover with a lid and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
To Freeze:
Keep the buns in their cupcake liners and put them in in an airtight storage bag, with the liners touching each other so the buns are back to back. This prevents the buns from touching each other and sticking together in the process. You can also separate them with a little parchment paper in between. Seal the bag and freeze for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bun
- Calories: 148
- Sugar: 2.8g
- Sodium: 55.2mg
- Fat: 4.4g
- Saturated Fat: 1.8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24.3g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3.5g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
