Baozi
Instant yeast, ground pork and shaoxing wine come together in this Chinese pork β 65 minutes, 6 steps, and the kind of result worth repeating. Scroll down for the ingredient checklist, a serving scaler and unit converter, and the method broken into 6 steps.
You'll mainly reach for large pot and saucepan. At medium difficulty across 6 steps, it's manageable with a little attention.
What you'll need
Shopping list (3)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
π Unit converter
How to make it
- Whisk the yeast and sugar into the lukewarm water, then stir into the flour with the oil and knead 10 minutes into a smooth, soft dough; cover and prove in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 to 1.5 hours.
- Make the filling by mixing the ground pork with finely chopped spring onions, grated ginger, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, white pepper and a pinch of salt, stirring vigorously in one direction until sticky and tacky.
- Knock back the dough and divide into 12 equal pieces; roll each into a disc about 9 cm wide, leaving the centre slightly thicker than the edges.
- Spoon filling into each disc, then pleat and pinch the edges up and around to seal into a twisted topknot, and rest the buns on squares of parchment for 20 minutes.
- Arrange the buns in a steamer with space between them and steam over rapidly boiling water for 13 to 15 minutes, until the dough is puffed and springs back and the pork is fully cooked through to at least 71 C / 160 F.
- Turn off the heat and leave the lid on for 3 minutes before lifting it gently, which stops the buns from collapsing, then serve hot.
You'll use: Large pot Β· Saucepan Β· Whisk Β· Steamer
Ingredient substitutions
- Soy Sauce
- tamari (gluten-free) Β· coconut aminos
What to serve with Baozi
- Kung Pao Chicken Chicken
- Kung Po Prawns Seafood
- Ma Po Tofu Beef
- Szechuan Beef Beef
Tips & common questions
How long does Baozi take to make?
About 65 minutes from start to finish β an estimate based on the 6 steps and 13 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of soy sauce?
Try tamari (gluten-free). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes β use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
How should I store leftovers?
Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.
Related recipes
Baozi is an original Chinese recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Baozi Chengdu.JPG (CC0) via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top β how we source recipes.