Bánh Bao

Name: Bánh Bao
Cook time: 150 min
Total time: 150 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 1 tbsp Cornstarch; 500g All-purpose Flour; 80g Sugar; 7g Instant Yeast, 1 packet; 2 tsp Baking Powder; 1/2 tsp Salt, fine; 260ml Milk, warm; 1 Chinese Sausage, lạp xưởng; thinly sliced; 1 tsp Sugar; 1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper; 1 tbsp Neutral Oil, plus a little for greasing; 500g Ground Pork, 20% fat ideal; 1 small Onion, finely diced; 2 cloves of Garlic, minced; 2 Shiitake Mushrooms, drieds, soaked and finely chopped; 10g Wood Ear Mushrooms, dried, soaked and finely chopped; 40g Glass Noodles, mung bean vermicelli; soaked and cut into short pieces; 2 Scallions, finely sliced; 1 tbsp Fish Sauce; 1 tbsp Oyster Sauce; 8 Quail Eggs, hard-boiled and peeled; 1 tbsp White Vinegar, to add to steaming water; Some Water, for the steamer

Bánh Bao are soft, pillowy steamed buns filled with a savory mixture of seasoned ground pork, umami mushrooms, glass noodles and sweet Chinese sausage — sometimes enclosing a glossy quail egg in the center. The slightly sweet, tender dough contrasts perfectly with the savory, fragrant filling for a comforting snack or meal. Steam them fresh and enjoy warm for the best texture and flavor.

Bánh Bao are soft, pillowy steamed buns filled with a savory mixture of seasoned ground pork, umami mushrooms, glass noodles and s... Show more

Traditional Vietnamese Recipe

Health Grade

D+ · Occasional

Rating

4.0

Time

2 hrs30 min

Price

2,59 €

Calories

1113 kcal

meal prep

high protein

kid friendly

comfort food

Method

Soak the fillings

Cover the Shiitake Mushrooms, Wood Ear Mushrooms, and Glass Noodles with warm Water in separate bowls and let them sit until softened, about 20 minutes. Drain them well before chopping so the filling stays tidy.

Boil the eggs

Put the Quail Eggs in a small pot, cover them with water, and bring it to a boil. Simmer for 4 minutes, then move them to cold water and peel once they are cool enough to handle.

Mix the dough

In a large bowl, whisk together the All-purpose Flour, Sugar, Instant Yeast, Baking Powder, and Salt. Pour in the warm, not hot Milk and the Neutral Oil, then mix until a shaggy dough forms. Knead by hand for 8 to 10 minutes until the dough is smooth, soft, and only lightly tacky.

Proof the dough

Lightly grease a bowl with a little of the oil, tuck the dough inside, cover it, and let it rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled, about 60 minutes. While it proofs, you can prep and cook the filling in the next step.

Cook the filling

Finely dice the Onion, mince the Garlic, thinly slice the Chinese Sausage, and slice the Scallion. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and cook the sausage until it starts to render fat, then add the onion and garlic and stir until fragrant. Add the Ground Pork, breaking it up as it cooks, then stir in the softened mushrooms, snipped glass noodles, Cornstarch, Sugar, Ground Black Pepper, Fish Sauce, and Oyster Sauce. Keep cooking until the filling looks mostly dry and clumps together, then spread it on a plate and let it cool completely.

Shape the buns

Punch down the dough and divide it into 8 equal pieces. Keep the unused pieces under a damp towel so they do not dry out, then flatten one piece into a round. Spoon in some cooled filling, top it with a quail egg, pinch the dough closed tightly, and roll the seam smooth. Set each bun seam-side down on a parchment square.

Rest the buns

Arrange the buns in a steamer basket lined with parchment, leaving a little space between each one. Cover and let them rest until slightly puffy, about 15 minutes.

Steam the buns

Fill the steamer base with water and stir in White Vinegar, then bring it to a lively boil. Set the steamer basket over the water, cover tightly, and steam for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the buns sit for 5 minutes before opening the lid.

Serve warm

Transfer the buns to a plate and serve them warm. The dough should be pillowy, the filling savory and fragrant, and the quail egg tucked neatly in the center.