Steamed Bao Buns
Total Time
2 hrs 25 mins
Prep Time
2 hrs 15 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Rating
4.68 out of 5 stars
(43)
Ingredients
12 buns
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons warm water, 110°F
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- ¼ cup avocado oil, plus more for brushing
- 8 ounces tempeh, sliced into 12 strips and steamed
- 6 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 3 tablespoons sriracha
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- Lime wedges, for squeezing and serving
- Avocado slices
- Sliced cucumber and/or carrot
- Fresh herbs, cilantro and/or mint
- Diced Thai chiles
How would you rate this recipe?
Preparation
Step 1
Make the bao buns. In a small bowl, combine the yeast, sugar, and water and stir. Set aside for 5 minutes, or until the yeast is foamy.
Step 2
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the avocado oil and the yeast mixture and mix to form a rough ball, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons more water if the dough is too dry. Transfer to a lightly floured surface, shape into a ball, and vigorously knead it until it’s smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
Step 3
Brush the inside of a bowl with a little oil and place the dough inside. Cover and set it aside in a warm place for 45 minutes. (Note: it won’t rise as much as other traditional yeasted doughs.)
Step 4
Make the tempeh filling. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Steam the tempeh according to this recipe. In a small bowl, whisk together the hoisin sauce, sriracha, ginger, and lime zest. Reserve half of the sauce for serving and toss the remaining half with the tempeh slices and set aside for 20 minutes to marinate. Place the tempeh on the baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until browned around the edges.
Step 5
Finish the buns. Cut twelve 4-inch squares of parchment paper and place them on a large baking sheet. Transfer the dough to a clean work surface and roll out evenly to ¼ inch thickness. Use a 3-inch glass to cut out circles of dough and place them on the paper squares. Brush the tops with a little oil, then fold each circle in half and gently press down, flattening just a bit so that the halves stick together but you still have a puffy bun shape. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 1 hour, until puffed. Transfer to a bamboo steamer set over a pan filled with 1 inch of water. Bring the water to a simmer, cover, and steam until puffed, 9 to 11 minutes. Work in batches.
Step 6
Assemble. Squeeze a little lime juice over the avocado, cucumber, and carrot. Assemble each bun with the tempeh, spooning a little sauce over each tempeh piece, the avocado, veggies, herbs, and chiles. Serve with remaining sauce on the side and lime wedges for squeezing.
Step 7
Save recipe for the next time?
Chef's notes
Use a neutral oil. I almost always call for extra-virgin olive oil in my recipes, but I prefer avocado oil here. Its neutral taste allows the flavorful fillings in this recipe to shine. If you can’t find avocado oil, use another neutral oil, like grapeseed oil, in its place.
Add water, a tablespoon at a time, if the dough is too dry. This bao bun recipe makes a stiff dough, so if it takes a bit of mixing to form it into a ball, don’t worry. However, if the dough is too dry, add water, a tablespoon at a time, until it comes together.
Let the dough rise somewhere warm. Because yeast responds to warmth, letting your dough rise in a warm place will yield the best results. We like to put ours on a sunny windowsill!
Serve the bao buns warm from the steamer. The steamed buns are best as soon as they come off the heat, when they’re still soft and pliable. If you have extra buns, they freeze well.
