Char Siu Bao

Delicious Char Siu Bao, a delightful dim sum featuring a savory filling of Chinese BBQ pork.

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Prep Time 30

Cook Time 10

Resting Time 30

Total Time 1 10

Course main dish

Cuisine Chinese

Servings bao

Calories 169 kcal

Equipment

pan
Steamer
mixing bowl
Rolling Pin

Ingredients

For the filling

0.5 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
0.5 onion, sliced
120 g water
2 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon Char Siu sauce see note 1
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
2 tablespoon tapioca starch (or corn starch) mix with 3 tablespoon water
130 g Char Siu (Chinese BBQ pork) see note 2

For the dough

350 g bao flour/cake flour, or all-purpose flour see note 3
2 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoon instant dry yeast see note 5
1.5 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
180 g lukewarm water adjust if necessary, see note 4

Instructions

Prepare the filling

Add oil to a pan. Fry onion until slightly golden.
Pour in water. Then add oyster sauce, Char Siu sauce and dark soy sauce. Leave it to boil for 30 seconds. Use a slotted spoon to remove the onion.
Turn the heat to the lowest. Mix the starch water very well then pour in. Stir constantly until the liquid turns into jelly. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
Coarsely chop Char Siu into small pieces. Add to the jelly. Mix well and set aside.

Make the dough

IF USING HANDS: Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, yeast and oil in a bowl. Add water gradually while mixing with a pair of chopsticks/spatula. Combine with your hands to form a dough. Rest (covered ) for 10 mins then knead again until very smooth.
IF USING A STAND MIXER: Add all the ingredients for the dough into the mixing bowl. Knead on low speed for about 8 mins until a smooth dough forms.

Roll the wrappers

Divide the dough into 14 equal parts. Work on one piece at a time and make sure you cover the rest to prevent it from drying out.
With a rolling pin, flatten one piece into a disc-like wrapper, 9-10cm in diameter. Ideally, it should be thinner on the edge & thicker in the middle.

Shape the bao

Place a spoonful of filling (about 20g) in the middle of the wrapper. To ensure a 'crack open' effect after steaming, follow the folding technique shown in the video below to seal the bao.
Alternatively, pleat the bao using the regular method introduced in my recipe for 'Steamed Bao Buns, A Complete Guide'.

Rest the bao

Repeat to finish all the wrappers and filling. Then place the bao into steamer baskets lined with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
Leave to rest for 30 minutes or so until they become very light & plump (no need to cover).

Steam the bao

Bring water to a full boil in a wok/pot. Place the steamer baskets in. Steam over medium-high heat for 10 mins. Serve immediately.

Store & reheat

You can make extra filling for later use and store it in the freezer for up to three months.
It’s not recommended to store uncooked bao. Instead, cooked bao freeze very well. Consume within three months.
To reheat: Defrost in the fridge then steam for 3 mins. Alternatively, steam for 6 mins without defrosting.

Notes

1. I use the Char Siu sauce from Lee Kum Kee/李锦记. It’s available in Chinese/Asian supermarkets. Skip it if unavailable and increase the oyster sauce to 3 tbsp. 2. Follow my Easy Char Siu Recipe to make some yourself, or use shop-bought ones. 3. To achieve an extra fluffy texture that Char Siu Bao is famous for, it’s best to use low gluten flour, such as cake flour or special bao flour. If unavailable, you may use all-purpose flour but increase the water volume. 4. The flour-water ratio may vary slightly depending on the brand of your flour. 5. Instant dry yeast can be mixed directly with flour.

Nutrition

Serving: 1baoCalories: 169kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 4gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 300mgPotassium: 150mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gCalcium: 20mgIron: 1mg

Keyword Char Siu Bao, Chinese BBQ, Dim Sum, Pork Buns, Steamed Buns

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