Banh Bao Steamed Pork Buns (Printable)
Soft pillowy steamed buns with savory pork and mushroom filling, a classic Vietnamese comfort food ready in under an hour.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Dough
01 - 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 tablespoons sugar
03 - 1 teaspoon instant yeast
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
05 - 3/4 cup warm milk
06 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
07 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Filling
08 - 10 ounces ground pork
09 - 2 Chinese sausages (lap xuong), thinly sliced
10 - 4 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and finely chopped
11 - 1 small onion, finely diced
12 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
13 - 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
14 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
15 - 1 teaspoon sugar
16 - 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
17 - 2 hard-boiled eggs, quartered
18 - 1 spring onion, chopped
# How to Prepare:
01 - In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, instant yeast, baking powder, and salt. Pour in warm milk and vegetable oil. Knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover and let rise for 1 hour until doubled in size.
02 - Combine ground pork, Chinese sausage, shiitake mushrooms, onion, garlic, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, white pepper, and spring onion in a bowl. Mix until thoroughly incorporated.
03 - Divide dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each into a ball, then flatten into a 4-inch disc. Place filling and a hard-boiled egg quarter in the center. Gather edges and pinch to seal, forming a bun shape.
04 - Place each bun on a parchment paper square. Let rest for 15 minutes while preparing the steamer.
05 - Arrange buns in steamer over boiling water. Steam for 15-20 minutes until cooked through and fluffy. Serve warm.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- One bite reveals that incredible contrast between the fluffy white exterior and the savory juicy filling inside
- They freeze beautifully so you can always have homemade comfort food ready in minutes
- The aroma that fills your kitchen while they steam is absolutely intoxicating
02 -
- The dough must be properly kneaded until smooth or your buns will have a dense bread like texture instead of being fluffy
- Sealing the buns tightly is crucial any gaps will let the savory juices escape during steaming
- Opening the steamer too early causes the buns to collapse so trust the full steaming time
03 -
- Mix the filling the night before so the flavors have time to meld together
- If your buns come out dense try increasing your steaming time by 3 to 5 minutes