Steamed Bao Buns

Course Side Dish
Cuisine Korean

Ingredients
  

  • 525 g plain flour plus extra for dusting
  • tbsp caster sugar plus a pinch
  • 1 tsp fast-action dried yeast
  • 50 ml milk
  • 1 tbsp sunflower oil plus extra for brushing and for the bowl
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp 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.
original recipe