Fluffy, pillowy white baos hit high streets across China, Hong Kong and Japan many, many years ago, but it wasn’t until recently that they became a mainstream street snack in the West. With our clear love of burgers and all things bread in Europe and the US, it’s no wonder these softer, slightly sweeter bread are so moreish for all palates, no matter where in the world you are from. The airy texture of baos is great for mopping up sauces, but at the same time, their firmness makes them the perfect bun to keep a sandwich together, even when doused in sauce. This simple base bao dough recipe will get you going but be warned, you might find yourself getting a little addicted to trying out different folds and spending a whole day just playing with the dough! It’s like playdoh but for (hungry) grown-ups.
Using a free-standing mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment (if available), pour in the dry mix ingredients.
Mix the liquid ingredients in a measuring jug. Then slowly pour the liquid into the mixer while kneading on a low speed for around 2 minutes, until all the water is mixed into the flour. Once combined, turn the speed up to high for a further 2 minutes, until the dough has a smooth yet tacky feel to it.
Once the dough has been well kneaded, dust it with 2 tablespoons of flour, scraping off any additional dough on the sides of the bowl. Shape the dough into a rough ball, then coat it lightly with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, cover the bowl with a damp cloth and leave aside in a warm, preferably moist, draught-free location (such as inside a room-temperature oven) for 1 – 1½ hours.
Once the dough has doubled in size, you can make it into whatever shape you wish before steaming.
Steaming time will vary between 8 and 15 minutes, depending on the shape and size of your finished buns (the thinner the bun, the shorter the steaming time).
Roll the proved bao dough out until completely flat and roughly 4mm in thickness, then cut into either rectangles or circles. If cutting circles, roll them out again once cut, to make elongated oval shapes.
Once all the shapes have been cut out, lightly brush the top of each pastry with a dab of vegetable oil. Place an oiled chopstick across the centre of each pastry and fold one side over the top to form a ‘lip’, then remove the chopstick. Once you have made the sandwich shapes, cover with a damp cloth and set aside to rest for 15–20 minutes. Your sandwich is now ready to steam. Steam for 8 minutes in a covered steam basket inside a wok half-filled with boiling water, without opening the lid, until cooked through and risen well.
Place the short ribs in a large saucepan and add all the poaching liquid ingredients. Bring to the boil on high heat, then lower to a gentle simmer. Poach the beef ribs on low heat for 3 hours, to ensure the meat starts to fall off the bone but still keeps its shape.
Mix the glaze ingredients in saute pan or wok. Mix and bring to a boil. Once the ribs have been poached, remove them from the poaching liquid and carefully remove the bones, leaving the meat itself whole and intact as much as possible.
Cut each long piece of meat in half vertically, in order to make more reasonably-sized portions that will fit well into the steamed buns. Put the pieces of meat directly into the pan with the glaze and turn until the meat is thoroughly glazed.
To finish the dish, char each side of the meat under a hot grill (minimum 230°C/450°F) on a lined baking tray or unlined rack, or finish directly on the barbecue. Serve one piece of the short rib on one steamed bun for ease of eating (with only moderate gluttony), along with some pickles or salad and condiments on the side.
And don't forget, Asian-inspired meals are made for sharing, so get friends and family together for a feast.
