Vietnamese Bánh Bao Steamed Buns & Dumplings
A soft, light, and airy puffy bun folded and steamed to perfection. Vietnamese Bánh Bao steamed buns, while traditionally split and filled with your choice of shredded meat and sautéed veggies, also make an incredible yeast roll eaten all on its own. This dough can also wrap around your favorite fillings and steamed for a wonderful dumpling meal.
Servings: 16 buns
Ingredients
- 270 g (2¼ cups) all-purpose flour fluffed, scooped, & leveled off if using measuring cups
- 7 g (1 pkg) active dry yeast
- 4 g (1 tsp) baking powder
- 3 g (½ tsp) salt
- 25 g (2 tbsp) granulated sugar
- 156 ml (~⅔ cup) whole milk
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) neutral oil (avocado, vegetable, canola) plus another 1-2 tbsp for brushing
Instructions
- In a stand mixer bowl or large bowl, add flour, yeast, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Whisk until mixed well.
- In a measuring cup, add milk and heat in the microwave 30 seconds until the temperature reaches 100˚F-110˚F (38˚C-43˚C). Add oil and stir.TIP: Whole milk works best as it contains fat to tenderize the dough making it light and keeps the dough "white" in color.
- With machine on low using the dough hook, slowly pour in milk mixture until all dry ingredients are moistened. The dough should pull away from the bowl edges. Use a spatula to scrape the dough from the edges as necessary. Allow the machine to run on low-medium speed for 10 minutes; the dough should be tacky but not stick to your hands. Add an additional tablespoon of flour or water (or milk) as needed to reach the tacky (not sticky or too stiff) dough consistency.TIP: If using a spoon and bowl, mix ingredients with a spoon until too stiff and then knead by hand on a floured surface for 10 minutes.
- Shape the dough into a smooth ball. Return it to the bowl and spray the top and sides with cooking spray or oil. Roll the dough around in the oil so the exterior is moistened. Cover and allow the dough to rise or double in size for an hour.TIP: Oil prevents the dough from creating an exterior crust as it sits and allows for easy removal.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and dust it lightly with flour.TIP: Dusting the paper prevents the buns from sticking as they rest.
- Deflate and place the dough on an unfloured work surface. Divide the dough into 16 equal portions. You can eyeball the divisions or weigh them (475 g = total weight/ 29-30 g per 16 pieces). Roll each dough portion in a smooth ball using the friction of the unfloured work surface for ease. Place them all on a plate and cover them with a towel or plastic wrap to prevent drying out.
- Use a rolling pin and roll each dough ball into a circle that’s 4 inches in diameter. Brush the top of each circle with a little oil and fold them in half. As you complete each bao bun, place them separated on the lightly floured, parchment-lined baking sheet and cover with a towel. Once all are rolled out allow the buns to sit and rest for 30 minutes.TIPS: Brushing oil on the dough allows them to split easily once steamed. To enhance Asian flavors, if using traditional Asian fillings, use sesame oil in place of a neutral oil. If you intend on taking advantage of this bread's versatility, stick with a neutral flavor oil.
- Once puffed, heat a large stock pot or steamer pot with 2-inches of water to a boil. Line a steamer basket or pasta strainer with parchment paper. Place as many bao buns as you can in the steamer basket spaced ~1½ inches apart allowing space to expand as they steam. TIPS: You should be able to get 5 or so buns in a steamer basket or strainer. If using a pasta strainer or other colander, use a pair of scissors to cut down each parchment paper corner to allow the paper to overlap and sit flush. Flush, smooth paper prevents odd folds from appearing in your bread dough once steamed.
- Once the water begins to boil, place the steamer basket over the water. The water should not touch the bottom of the basket. Reduce the heat to a simmer so the water continues to lightly bubble. Cover the basket with a lid or foil and allow the buns to steam for 20 minutes.
- Remove the lid or foil and transfer the buns to a cooling rack. Repeat steaming the remaining buns in as many batches as needed. Serve the buns with preferred fillings and enjoy.
Video
Notes
Turn these Buns into Dumplings:
To create filled bao dumplings, once each dough piece is rolled into a circle, add a tablespoon of your favorite cooked shredded or ground meat, sautéed vegetables, small, peeled, hard-boiled eggs like quail, or mix of fillings. Then, pull up the dough edges to enclose the filling like a purse or bag and pinch to seal the top edges together. Steam as directed with the sealed top upright, so the filling doesn’t leak. If the dough rounds seem a little small for the filling, roll them out an additional 1-3 inches.
Serving Suggestions:
Bao buns can be split and filled with your favorite cooked shredded or diced meat, cooked, or sautéed vegetables, and topped with sliced or grated hard-boiled eggs.
Storage Suggestions:
Bao buns are best eaten immediately, but they can be stored in a sealed container at room temperature, if not filled, for up to a week. For storing bao dumplings that are filled, place in a sealed container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. For longer storage, place buns or dumplings sealed in a freezer bag or container and store in the freezer for several months.