Steamed bao buns
MasterChef. Fluffy Chinese-style steamed bao buns to prise open and fill with barbecue pork and pickled carrot & mooli. Eat while they're still warm.
Ingredients
| 525 g | plain flour, plus extra for dusting | |
| 1.5 tbsp | 23 ml | caster sugar, plus a pinch |
| 1 tsp | 5 ml | fast-action dried yeast |
| 50 ml | milk | |
| 1 tbsp | 15 ml | sunflower oil, plus extra for brushing and for the bowl |
| 1 tbsp | 15 ml | rice vinegar |
| 1 tsp | 5 ml | baking powder |
Instructions
STEP 1 Mix together the flour, caster sugar and ½ tsp salt in a large bowl (see tip). Dissolve the yeast and a pinch of sugar in 1 tbsp warm water, then add it to the flour with the milk, sunflower oil, rice vinegar and 200ml water. Mix into a dough, adding a little extra water if needed.
STEP 2 Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 10-15 mins, or until smooth. Put in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth and leave to rise for 2 hrs, or until doubled in size.
STEP 3 Tip the dough out onto a clean work surface and punch it down. Flatten the dough with your hands, then sprinkle over the baking powder and knead for 5 mins.
STEP 4 Roll out the dough into a long sausage shape, about 3cm thick, then cut into pieces that are about 3cm wide – you should have 18. In the palm of your hand, roll each piece of dough into a ball and leave to rest for 2-3 mins.
STEP 5 Use a rolling pin to roll out each ball, one by one, into an oval shape about 3-4mm thick. Rub the surface of the dough ovals with oil and brush a little oil over a chopstick. Place the oiled chopstick in the centre of each oval. Fold the dough over the chopstick, then slowly pull out the chopstick.
STEP 6 Cut 18 squares of baking parchment and put a bun on each. Transfer to a baking tray, cover with a clean tea towel and leave to prove in a warm place for 1 hr 30 mins, or until doubled in size.
STEP 7 Heat a large steamer over a medium-high heat. Steam the buns for 8 mins until puffed up (you'll need to do this in batches). Prise open each bun and fill with our barbecue pork and pickled carrot & mooli. Eat while they're still warm.
USING A MIXER The dough can easily be made in a mixer with a dough hook up to the end of step 3.
FREEZING THE BUNS The buns can be steamed, then frozen. Once defrosted, simply reheat in a steamer.