Steamed Pork Bao with Preserved Vegetables

My first bao came from a street vendor in George Town, Penang. He had a stack of bamboo steamers three feet high, and each one held six white, pillowy buns filled with pork and preserved vegetables. I bought two and ate them standing on the kerb, burning my fingers because I could not wait.

This recipe fills the buns with minced pork stir-fried with two types of preserved vegetables, one salty and one sweet, seasoned with soy sauce, sugar, cooking wine, and pepper. Toasted sesame seeds go in at the end. The dough is plain flour, yeast, sugar, water, and oil, kneaded smooth, rested, divided into fifteen pieces, filled, and steamed for twelve minutes.

Tips for Making Steamed Pork Bao

Rinse the preserved vegetables well

They are packed in salt. Rinse several times, soak in water for forty-five minutes, rinse again, squeeze dry, and chop. Without this step, the filling is too salty.

Two types are used: salty preserved vegetables and sweet preserved vegetables. Both need the same soaking treatment. Together, they make the filling savoury and slightly funky in a way that straight pork mince never achieves.

Proof the bao before steaming

Fill each bun, place on a small square of parchment paper, and let them proof in the steamer (water not yet boiling) for fifteen minutes. The buns should visibly puff.

Then bring the water to a boil and steam for twelve minutes. Turn off the heat, crack the lid slightly, and wait three to five minutes before removing. Sudden temperature change collapses the buns.

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Steamed Meat Bao with Preserved Vegetables

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  Author: Ann Low
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  Total Time: 42 minutes
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  Yield: Serves 15 1x
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  Diet: Omnivore

Description

Ann Lows recipe for fluffy bao filled with savory minced pork and preserved vegetables. A delicious and easy-to-make side dish.

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Ingredients

Units
USM

Scale
1x2x3x

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Instructions

1. Rinse preserved salted and sweet vegetables several times, soak in water for 45 minutes, rinse, squeeze dry, and chop.
2. Heat wok with oil, fry the preserved salted and sweet vegetables, add mince pork, and fry until the meat is separated. Add seasoning and stir-fry until the meat is cooked. Add toasted sesame seeds and stir well. Dish up and set aside.

For the Soup

1. Mix all bao dough ingredients together and knead until smooth, dusting with flour if needed (knead for about 10 minutes). Cover and rest for 5 minutes.
2. Roll the dough into a cylinder, cut into 15 pieces (about 35g each).
3. Flatten each dough piece into a small disc with a rolling pin, making the edges thinner and the center thicker.
4. Wrap the dough with filling, sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds, and place on a small square of parchment paper.
5. Place the dough bao in a steamer with water (not yet boiling), cover, and proof for 15 minutes.
6. Bring water to a boil and steam the buns for 12 minutes.
7. Turn off heat, leave the lid slightly open for 3-5 minutes before removing completely.

Notes

• For a richer flavor, marinate the minced pork in the soy sauce, sugar, and cooking wine for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
• If you don’t have Hong Kong flour, all-purpose flour will work; the bao might be slightly less fluffy.
• To prevent sticking, lightly grease the steamer basket before placing the bao buns inside.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 12 minutes
• Category: Side Dish
• Method: Steaming
• Cuisine: Chinese

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 bao
• Calories: 250
• Sugar: 5
• Sodium: 400
• Fat: 12
• Saturated Fat: 4
• Unsaturated Fat: 6
• Carbohydrates: 30
• Fiber: 2
• Protein: 15
• Cholesterol: 40

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