They have long been a force in the street food scene: Bao Buns. The yeast particles may look pale, but they are extraordinarily fluffy because they are not baked but steamed. Strictly speaking, they are not dissimilar to steamed noodles, but they are prepared heartily.
The most well-known variant is “Gua Bao”, which translates as pork belly bun. The meat is placed in the bun along with spices and other ingredients such as kimchi and marinated vegetables. But that’s just one of countless Asian-style burgers.
Few ingredients, made easy – however, you need a steam attachment or a bamboo cooker and some time to prepare the buns. Since these are yeast particles, the dough has to rest again and again.
500 g wheat flour 1/2 cube fresh yeast (about 20 g) about 250 ml water (lukewarm) 50 ml coconut milk about 20 ml vegetable oil salt
Steam attachment or bamboo steamer
Put lukewarm water and yeast in a bowl, dissolve the yeast and let it rest for about 10 minutes. Mix half a teaspoon of salt with flour, add the yeast mixture to the bowl and knead well. An even dough is formed. Cover the dough and let it rest in a warm place for about 30 minutes. Then knead the dough again and roll it out on a work surface. Let it rest for a moment. Divide the dough into equal pieces and form into balls, let them rest for a while. Then roll out the balls into elongated tongues. Alternatively: It will be more even if you shape the dough with a cutter (about 8 centimeters in diameter). Spread a thin layer of oil on one side of the dough pieces and fold into small pockets. Leave to rest on a floured surface for another 20 minutes.
Then line the steamer insert or bamboo basket with baking paper. Space the buns in. Bring water to a boil in a saucepan and use the steamer. With the lid on, steam the buns for about 10 to 12 minutes. Caution: Do not remove the lid during this time, otherwise the buns will collapse. Allow to cool after steaming.
Bao buns filled with pork belly are a classic. If the pork belly is fried until crispy, as in this variant, the dish is called “gua bao”.
160 g sliced pork belly (two slices per bun) About a third of a cucumber 20 g spring onions 12 g coriander 60 g hoisin sauce Hot chili sauce (Sriracha) (rice) vinegar, salt, sugar
Cut the cucumber into strips and soak in a little vinegar, salt and sugar for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the spring onions into thin rings. Pluck and wash the coriander leaves. Fry the pork belly in a little oil until crispy. Fill the buns evenly with the ingredients – first comes the hoisin sauce, last the chili sauce.
You can do without meat too. Shiitake mushrooms are a hearty alternative. If they are fried in brown sauce, they taste particularly aromatic.
250 g shiitake mushrooms 1 carrot 1/2 cucumber 3 tbsp soy sauce 5 tbsp rice vinegar 2 tbsp sesame oil 3 tbsp sunflower oil 3 tbsp water 1 tbsp sugar chili
Mix rice vinegar and water (3 tablespoons each) and sugar together. Cut the cucumber and carrot into sticks. Add both to the marinade and let stand (about 10 minutes). Mix soy sauce, rice vinegar (3 tbsp), maple syrup, sesame oil and some chilli together. Clean and cut mushrooms. Heat sunflower oil in a pan and sauté mushrooms until lightly browned on both sides. This only takes a few minutes each time. Pour the sauce over it, stir constantly and let it thicken well. Distribute the ingredients evenly in the buns.
Inspiration from: sissiundfranzl, dasbackstuebchen
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