Delish editors handpick every product we feature. Baozi recipe may earn commission from the links on this page.
They may not be the prettiest buns you’ve ever seen, but don’t let looks deceive you—these rank high on my list of all the steamed buns I’ve ever eaten. There are endless variations on the steamed bun across different cultures and regions: different dough recipes, different fillings, different cooking methods. Below, I’ve given three separate filling options, all of which can be made a day in advance: a meaty cabbage-pork combo, a flexible miso-carrot mix that can be vegan or pescatarian, and a sweet red bean paste version that can be served as dessert. Once upon a time in the olden days, like most traditional bread recipes, Chinese steamed buns were made with sourdough preferments. Many Chinese steamed buns use a specific type of low-protein all-purpose flour that can be hard to find in many parts of the U.
To approximate the texture that kind of flour achieves, we will be using two techniques. First, to keep the bun texture fluffy but not dry and powdery, take a minute to make a water roux with cornstarch. The second technique is to use boiling liquid in the dough to create a more tender steamed bun with just the right amount of chew. If working by hand, to avoid burning out your arms and worsening your carpal tunnel syndrome, bring the dough together and knead just until it forms a cohesive dough with no dry pockets.
