Steamed Buns (Baozi)
Chinese baozi with a choice of pork, miso-carrot, or red bean paste fillings and an optional black vinegar dipping sauce.
Ingredients
| 2 Tbsp | 30 ml | Cornstarch |
| 6 Tbsp | 90 ml | Water |
| 1 Tbsp | 15 ml | Sweetened condensed milk or honey |
| 3/4 cup | 180 ml | Milk, divided |
| 1 tsp | 5 ml | Instant yeast |
| 3 1/3 cups | 800 ml | All-purpose flour |
| 3/4 tsp | 3.8 ml | Kosher salt |
| 1 1/4 cups | 300 ml | Finely shredded cabbage (pork filling) |
| 1 tsp | 5 ml | Kosher salt (pork filling) |
| 1 lb | 455 g | Ground or minced pork |
| 1/4 tsp | 1.3 ml | Five spice |
| 1/2 tsp | 2.5 ml | Ground Szechuan peppercorns |
| 1/4 tsp | 1.3 ml | Ground coriander |
| 1/4 tsp | 1.3 ml | Ground white pepper |
| 1/2 tsp | 2.5 ml | Freshly ground black pepper |
| 1/2 tsp | 2.5 ml | MSG (optional) |
| 1/2 inch | Ginger, finely minced | |
| 2 cloves | Garlic, finely minced | |
| 1/4 cup | 60 ml | Finely chopped chives or green onions |
| 2 tsp | 10 ml | Low-sodium soy sauce |
| 1 tsp | 5 ml | Toasted sesame oil |
| 2 | Large carrots, shredded (miso filling) | |
| 8 oz | 225 g | Firm tofu or fish cakes, finely diced |
| 1 inch | Fresh ginger, grated | |
| 1 clove | Garlic, grated (miso filling) | |
| 2 | Green onions, thinly sliced | |
| 3 Tbsp | 45 ml | Miso |
| 1/2 tsp | 2.5 ml | Freshly ground black pepper (miso filling) |
| 1 Tbsp | 15 ml | Gochugaru or ground cayenne |
| 1 Tbsp | 15 ml | Toasted sesame oil (miso filling) |
| 1 Tbsp | 15 ml | Toasted sesame seeds |
| 1 cup | 240 ml | Dried adzuki beans, soaked overnight |
| 1/2 tsp | 2.5 ml | Kosher salt (red bean filling) |
| 2/3 cup | 160 ml | Granulated sugar (red bean filling) |
| 1/4 cup | 60 ml | Chinese black vinegar (dipping sauce) |
| 4 tsp | 20 ml | Toasted sesame oil (dipping sauce) |
| 1 tsp | 5 ml | Finely minced fresh ginger (dipping sauce) |
| 1/2 tsp | 2.5 ml | Granulated sugar (dipping sauce) |
| 1 pinch | Kosher salt (dipping sauce) |
Instructions
Make the dough:
- In a small pot over low heat, whisk cornstarch and water. Cook until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Off heat, whisk in honey and 1/4 cup milk until incorporated. Let cool to lukewarm, then whisk in yeast.
- Heat the remaining 1/2 cup milk until simmering. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, and hot milk until a very shaggy mixture forms. Stir in the cornstarch-yeast mixture and work the dough by hand until cohesive with no dry spots, about 5 minutes. Cover and let stand 30 minutes.
- Gently deflate the dough, pick up one edge and pull it toward the opposite edge; repeat the stretch-and-fold about 4 times around the bowl, then flip smooth side up. Rest 30 minutes. Repeat the stretch-and-fold twice more, resting 30 minutes after each.
- Meanwhile make your filling of choice. Optionally make the dipping sauce: stir all sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Cut the dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each into a 6-inch round on a floured surface, rotating frequently and keeping edges thinner than the center.
- Place a meatball or 2 tablespoons of filling in the middle, then pleat the edges together, gathering and pinching about 3/4-inch of dough at a time all around, 12 to 15 pleats total. Gently twist counter-clockwise into a swirl and pinch to seal.
- Fill a large pot with 2 cups cold water and set a lined steamer basket on top. Cut twelve 3-inch parchment squares and place buns on them inside the steamer, about 2 inches apart. Let rise uncovered until dough increases about 50% and springs back slowly, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Cover the pot with a lid lined with a paper towel and turn heat to medium. Once boiling, reduce to low and steam 10 minutes. Turn off heat and let stand covered 5 minutes more, then uncover and let cool until safe to touch.
- Serve with dipping sauce if desired.
Pork filling: Toss cabbage with salt; let sit 10 minutes. Add all remaining pork filling ingredients and stir in one direction until a smooth paste forms. Portion into 12 meatballs on parchment and freeze 30 minutes until semi-firm.
Miso-carrot filling: Stir all ingredients together until well combined; chill until dough is ready.
Red bean filling: Rinse and drain soaked beans; combine with 2 cups water and salt, boil, then simmer until tender and splitting, about 30 minutes. Drain, reserving liquid. Return to low heat with sugar and enough liquid to barely cover (1/2 to 2/3 cup); simmer until creamy, about 15 minutes, then mash to desired consistency and cool completely.