Homemade Baozi(Chinese Steamed Buns)
Baozi, as a traditional Chinese food, carries rich historical and cultural significance. Its history can be traced back to the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, when baozi primarily served as a food for supplementing the strength of armies, resembling the shape of modern mantou at that time. Over time, baozi evolved into its current shape and flavors. With its round and plump appearance, it symbolizes reunion and harmony.
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Baozi is a common staple in our daily lives, made from filling and dough skin, which can be either meat-filled or vegetarian. Soft and delicious, it's nutritious and flavorful. If you enjoy eating baozi, you're in luck! Today, I'll introduce you to how to make baozi at home, ensuring they taste just as good as those from restaurants.
1.What is baozi?
Baozi is an ancient traditional Chinese food made primarily from flour and fillings. Legend has it that baozi was invented by Zhuge Liang, but its official appearance dates back to the Five Dynasties period, with the name "baozi" formally established in the Song Dynasty. What makes baozi unique is its ability to encompass a variety of ingredients; people can always wrap seasonal fresh produce into the small dough skin, giving it countless flavors and tastes.
The word "baozi" first appeared in the Song Dynasty, and before that it was mainly called "steamed buns". It is said that it was invented by Zhuge Liang when he was conquering Meng Huo. It was shaped like a human head. Later, with the development of history, it was gradually changed to poultry stuffing. But the history of Chinese people eating steamed buns can be traced back at least to the Warring States Period, when they were called "steamed buns." During the Three Kingdoms period, steamed buns had their own official name, called "mantou".
2.What type of flour should you choose?
Most commonly, you would use medium-gluten flour (中筋面粉) for making baozi. It has sufficient gluten to wrap around the fillings and provides a chewy texture that is enjoyable to eat. You can also use low-gluten flour (低筋面粉), but it has less gluten strength compared to medium-gluten flour. When wrapping large amounts of filling, there is a risk of the dough skin tearing, and the finished baozi may have a slightly rougher and softer texture.
3.What tools are used for kneading dough?
①Kneading dough manually with a rolling pin allows for a better understanding of the changes in dough consistency and control over moisture levels. It's a great exercise for making dough-based foods.
②A multi-functional stand mixer and a dedicated dough mixer can automate the kneading process, saving significant time and effort. They are capable of quickly and efficiently mixing flour, supporting automatic fermentation, and achieving rapid gluten formation.
4.What types of steamers are there for steaming baozi?
①Steamer: A steamer is a highly convenient and practical steaming appliance that can quickly steam baozi, mantou, dumplings, and other foods. It features automatic temperature control, timer scheduling, smart insulation, and is very easy to use, making it ideal for home use.
②Bamboo Steamer: The bamboo steamer is a tool with a long history in Chinese folk culture. Made from woven bamboo, it enhances the steaming process by allowing for air circulation and moisture retention, resulting in baozi that are tender and delicious.
③Stainless Steel Steamer: The stainless steel steamer is durable and has a long lifespan. During the steaming process, it quickly heats up, allowing food to steam quickly and thoroughly.
5.Why use yeast?
Yeast plays a crucial role in dough by promoting the formation of protein chains. During fermentation, yeast absorbs sugars from the dough, producing carbon dioxide and alcohol, which aids in leavening the dough, making it soft, airy, and larger in volume. Yeast also enhances gluten development, improving the dough's ability to trap air bubbles.
6.Where can you buy these ingredients?
Typically, the ingredients needed to make baozi can be found at Asian supermarkets or in Chinatown.
The technique for making baozi involves two main parts: the preparation of the filling recipe and the formulation of the dough, along with controlling the steaming time and heat. Below, I'll share the recipes and preparation methods for the filling and dough in making baozi.
INGREDIENTS
MAIN INGREDIENTS
- 500g all-purpose flour
ACCESSORIES
- 500g quail eggs
- 5g yeast
- 150g dried mung beans (soaked)
- 40g carrots
- 50g wood ear mushrooms (soaked)
- 360g ground meat
SEASONINGS
- 20g salt
- 28g oyster sauce
- 10g dark soy sauce
- 260g warm water
- 25g light soy sauce
- 6g thirteen-spice blend
- 10g spring onions (scallions)
- 20g sugar
- 30g cooking oil (aromatic oil)
- 5g ginger
DIRECTIONS
STEP 1
Boil and peel 500g of quail eggs, then place them in a clay pot.
STEP 2
Add enough purified water to cover the cooked and peeled quail eggs in a clay pot. Add 20g oyster sauce, 10g light soy sauce, 10g dark soy sauce, and 10g salt for seasoning. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let soak for about 1.5 hours.
STEP 3
Mix 20g sugar and 5g yeast evenly into 260g warm water.
Tip:
When using yeast, it's important to keep it separate from flour, water, and granulated sugar to avoid affecting its activity.
STEP 4
Add 500g all-purpose flour to the mixture. Stir with chopsticks until crumbly, then knead into a dough. Cover with plastic wrap and let it ferment until doubled in size.
Tip:
It takes about 30 minutes for the dough to rise.
STEP 5
Finely chop 10g spring onions (scallions) and 5g ginger. Place the chopped white part of the spring onions and ginger in a small bowl, add half a bowl of hot water to make scallion-ginger water, and set aside.
STEP 6
Chop the green part of the spring onions into small pieces for later use as chopped scallions.
STEP 7
Finely chop the soaked 150g dried mung beans, 50g wood ear mushrooms, and 40g carrots and set them aside for later use.
STEP 8
Prepare 360g ground meat and gradually add the scallion-ginger water, mixing until the water is completely absorbed by the meat mixture.
STEP 9
Mix thoroughly with 8g oyster sauce, 15g light soy sauce, 10g salt, 6g thirteen-spice blend, and 30g aromatic oil.
STEP 10
Add the chopped scallions and mix well.
STEP 11
Add the chopped dried mung beans, wood ear mushrooms, and carrots, and mix thoroughly to complete the filling for the buns.
Tip:
The filling for buns is crucial for the texture and flavor. Choose fresh ingredients without any off-flavors, and adjust seasoning according to personal taste preferences.
STEP 12
Knead the well-fermented dough until smooth and deflate any excess air.
STEP 13
Divide the dough into small portions and knead each portion until smooth and round. Roll out each portion into a bun wrapper that is thicker in the middle and thinner at the edges.
STEP 14
Take one bun wrapper, place a portion of the meat and bean filling on it, then place one quail egg that has been marinated in soy sauce on top.
STEP 15
Wrap it into your preferred shape.
STEP 16
Place parchment paper in the steamer, arrange the buns on it, add cold water to the steamer, let them proof for another 15 minutes, then steam over high heat for 15 minutes after the water starts boiling. Turn off the heat and let them sit for about 5 minutes before serving.
Tip:
When steaming buns, it's crucial to control the heat and timing. Generally, steaming over high heat for about 15 minutes is sufficient. Over-steaming can result in buns becoming tough or misshapen. Also, be careful not to let water vapor drip into the buns, as it can affect their texture.
STEP 17
Delicious buns out of the oven.
Recipe analyzer
- Recipes: Homemade Baozi(Chinese Steamed Buns)
- Main Ingredients:7
- Servings per recipe:1
- Servings size:1.6 kg
-
Energy (calories)：3349 kcal
-
Protein：195.71 g
-
Fat：89.25 g
Why gray?
-
Carbohydrates：432.62 g
-
Protein: 24%799 kcal
-
Fat: 24%800 kcal
-
Carbohydrates: 52%1753 kcal
The ratio shows whether the proportion of both fatty acids in your diet is optimal. Red color means too much of Omega 6 or too little of Omega 3. The data are rounded off and approximate.
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