Description
This Cheat Bao (Bun) recipe offers a quick and easy way to enjoy delicious steamed buns filled with savory beef mince and aromatic lemongrass, topped with a crispy fried bottom for extra texture. Perfect for an appetizer, snack, or main course, these buns combine the fluffy softness of steamed dough with a flavorful beef filling.
Ingredients
For The Dough
- 200g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
- 180g Greek yoghurt
For The Filling
- 400g beef mince (20% fat)
- 1 lemongrass stalk, bashed and finely chopped
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- Handful of basil, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ½ tablespoon black pepper
Instructions
- Make the dough: In a large bowl, combine the self-raising flour and Greek yoghurt. Stir using chopsticks or a wooden spoon until well mixed, then knead the mixture for 5 minutes until you have a soft, bouncy dough. Cover the dough with cling film and set it aside for 10 minutes to rest.
- Prepare the filling: In another large bowl, combine the beef mince, finely chopped lemongrass, red onion, garlic, basil, sesame oil, light soy sauce, sugar, and black pepper. Stir gently with chopsticks or your hands until everything is well mixed. Set aside.
- Shape the dough: Pierce the rested dough in the middle with your finger to form a donut shape, then slice the donut to make a log. Slice the log into 10 equal pieces. Roll each piece out on a floured surface into a circular wrapper roughly ½ cm thick and 3 inches in diameter.
- Fill and seal buns: Place a spoonful of the beef filling in the center of each wrapper. Seal the edges by folding in an anticlockwise motion, ensuring the filling is completely enclosed. Repeat with all wrappers.
- Steam the buns: Place each filled bun on a small piece of parchment paper and arrange them in a steamer. Steam for 10-15 minutes until cooked through and fluffy.
- Optional crisping: Heat a pan over medium heat and drizzle with oil. Place the steamed buns face up in the pan and fry for about 4 minutes until the bottoms are golden and crispy. Remove from the pan and serve warm.
Notes
- The dough uses self-raising flour and Greek yoghurt for a quick and easy bao without yeast or long proving times.
- Steaming is essential to get the soft, fluffy texture typical of bao buns.
- Frying the bottom after steaming adds a delicious crispy texture for contrast.
- You can substitute beef mince with chicken or pork mince based on preference.
- Make sure to use parchment paper when steaming to prevent sticking.
- This recipe yields 10 buns, suitable for serving as snacks or part of a meal.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Method: Steaming and Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
