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The Journey of the Holy Bao


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Good morning eGulleters! :smile:

I have been itching to try to make my own baos for a few months now. My mom is usually the expert in making these baos since hers come out perfectly and looks as beautiful as the restaurants. However, since she is in China at the moment, my dad and I decided to “experiment” on our own. :laugh:

Since my dad’s family is from the northern province of Shang Dong he is a master at making dumpling and man-do dough and we just applied the same dough to making our baos.

Both of us has never wrapped baos before and since my mom wasn’t here to teach us, I think we did a decent job!

My Dad made the dough and I made the filling.

Here are some pics from our Bao Day.

Here’s my dad rolling out the dough:

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Here’s my filling:

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Here’s my Dad’s attempt at wrapping baos. I must say he did pretty well! :biggrin: :

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Side view of his baos. For some reason my Dad’s baos became smaller and smaller as the day progressed. I made a comment of how he was trying to make soup dumplings instead of baos. He told me it’s not the size, it’s the quality. Hmmm…I think he's trying to imply something about my baos. :hmmm: :

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Here’s my attempt at wrapping baos. I was very proud of this one. :raz: :

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The finished baos in the steamer:

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Here’s what the finished product with filling looks like:

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Contrast of cooked baos and raw:

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And a whole plate of baos!:

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We made quite a few baos that day. I would say about 60 or more. My Dad eats them for breakfast with a side of soup. All in all, I think we did a great job. It could have been prettier but as my Dad says, as long as it’s edible, it’s all good! :cool:

I will have to have my mom teach me the professional way to wrap baos when she’s home this month!

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Oh, they look beautiful, like little pork-filled roses. I once went on a day-long mandu making binge with some of my friends in Korea....the results looked quite similar to your bao, except for the wrapping technique - we tried half-moons. What did you put in your bao filling?

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They look a lot better than the baos I made! I just did 48 char siu bao on Sunday, and though it was my 6th time (or so) making them, they still don't look as pretty as yours did.

Did you use a yeast-dough or a baking powder-dough, or did you use both yeast and baking powder?

I'd like to know your filling contents, too. I think I need a break from char siu! (Did I just say that? :shock:)

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Thanks everyone!

My Dad just used regular all purpose flour and yeast. Nothing special or secret about it! But the dough was very fluffy and light. I swear he must have put something in there when I wasn't looking!! But the old man denies it!

Since my Dad is from the north, we did your typical northern filling.

It consists of:

Pork

Napa Cabbage

Scallions

Ginger

Shitake Mushrooms (Dried variety. I was going to use fresh ones because they are readily available now (not the wimpy thin ones you see in regular groceries but the big meaty Asian ones that look exactly like the dried variety) but I decided against it because they are not as fragrant as the dried ones.)

Salt

Soy

Sesame Oil

Pepper

That's it. Simple and delicious! It's just like our dumpling filling but the ingredients are chopped a bit coarser to give it a bit more definition.

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I'd like to know your filling contents, too. I think I need a break from char siu! (Did I just say that? ohmy.gif)

Send extras to: Nakji, Chigasaki-shi, Honjuku-cho 101, thanks. :biggrin:

My Dad just used regular all purpose flour and yeast. Nothing special or secret about it! But the dough was very fluffy and light. I swear he must have put something in there when I wasn't looking!! But the old man denies it!

Don't trust him! This is my trick exactly when I go back to Canada and make Yorkshire Pudding for my family. I have a "secret" ingredient I never reveal, and it drives my father-in-law nuts that he can't replicate.

I'll have to head into Yokohama for a bao fix now, you're killing me.

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I'll have to head into Yokohama for a bao fix now, you're killing me.

Just head to your local combini. Won't be that much different from the Chinatown ones. :raz:

I just ate lunch, but now I want bao! I already ate one for an after-breakfast snack, but I've got three left in the work fridge. They're calling me....

Darn you and your beautiful bao XiaoLing! :laugh:

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I would love to send you guys some baos! But I think it'll spoil by the time it reaches Japan. :blink:

I actually just got off the phone with my Dad and apparently there is a bao revolution going on in my family. After having baos at our house, my uncle went home and has spent the last weekend and tonight making more baos at home.

His filling is different:

pork

cellophane noodles

napa cabbage

five-spiced tofu

(As his main ingredients. )

Funny thing is when we were making these baos, my Dad kept saying "We can buy these in Chinatown for 2 for $1 and some for 4 for $1. Not going to be doing this again anytime soon. It's too MA FAN (troublesome)!! But what can I do? My daughter wants to make baos." :hmmm: "Umm...Dad...I'm right here. I can hear you."

But I got the last laugh since now everyone has caught the bao bug! :laugh:

My Dad and I were just talking about ways to improve our filling for next time. We have a master plan!! MUAHAHAHAHA.... And we plan on executing this plan soon. I will post pics as soon as I do!

I also realized that by making these baos with/for relatives it's a great distraction for those inevitable questions such as "When are you going to get a boyfriend?!?" and "When are you going to get married?!?!" :rolleyes: All I have to say is "Want some bao?" :biggrin::raz:

Edited by XiaoLing (log)
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I love tofu in dumplings! That's what we put in our mandu in Korea, "for our health" according to my friends. It really makes the filling hang together, and it's so fun mixing it all in by hand.

Your dad's right, I know the feeling of, "Why the heck am I doing this, I can buy food for cheaper and less trouble?" but you and your dad will always have the memory of making bao together while your mum was away - that kind of thing you can't put a price on!

As for distracting relatives - well, that's when you ask an innocent question like, "What does auntie put in her filling that makes it so good?" And then everyone is talking at once and defending their own recipes and methods, and you can slip out the back door with a tray of fresh made dumplings and a diet coke for yourself.

One of my favourite cooking moments in Korea was when my friends (who were sisters-in-law) were showing me how to cook japchae, and one added a slug of soy sauce to her water for boiling the noodles, and the other saw it and shouted, "Ha!" and it turns out that was her secret move for good noodles all long, and she was totally busted. Classic. :biggrin:

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XL, just wondering, do you salt the cabbage and wring out the moisture before you use it?

Yes you do! Salt it a bit and wait a few minutes and then wring it out. But I do this after chopping it into pieces.

I love tofu in dumplings! That's what we put in our mandu in Korea, "for our health" according to my friends. It really makes the filling hang together, and it's so fun mixing it all in by hand.

Your dad's right, I know the feeling of, "Why the heck am I doing this, I can buy food for cheaper and less trouble?" but you and your dad will always have the memory of making bao together while your mum was away - that kind of thing you can't put a price on!

As for distracting relatives - well, that's when you ask an innocent question like, "What does auntie put in her filling that makes it so good?" And then everyone is talking at once and defending their own recipes and methods, and you can slip out the back door with a tray of fresh made dumplings and a diet coke for yourself.

One of my favourite cooking moments in Korea was when my friends (who were sisters-in-law) were showing me how to cook japchae, and one added a slug of soy sauce to her water for boiling the noodles, and the other saw it and shouted, "Ha!" and it turns out that was her secret move for good noodles all long, and she was totally busted. Classic.  :biggrin:

You know what else I really love with tofu? Tofu meatballs. It sounds strange but its in all the restaurants in Wuhan. It's made with tofu and I think a little bit of pork. It's all fried into a delicious little ball of goodness! :wub: Sigh...

You're absolutely right. You can't put a price on good quality time! That's what I said to my Dad but he's not as convinced. :hmmm:

I will never understand why relatives choose to ask such ackward questions. :rolleyes:

Oh man! That is classic! Soy sauce in water for boiling noodles! That's a brilliant idea! I asked my grandmother how to make wontons once and she gave me a list of ingredients. A few months later, we were making wontons together and I noticed the lady was adding a lot more ingredients than she told me the first time! I called her on it and she just laughed. I don't know if it's old age or she's holding out on me. :hmmm:

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Thanks for posting about your bao making. I'll be interested to see what tweaks you and your father come up with for the next batch.

....I asked my grandmother how to make wontons once and she gave me a list of ingredients.  A few months later, we were making wontons together and I noticed the lady was adding a lot more ingredients than she told me the first time! I called her on it and she just laughed.  I don't know if it's old age or she's holding out on me.  :hmmm:

That's funny and so true! My mom has done the same with me in regards to a bunch of family favorites.

You should sit her down and let her know that you're interested in carrying on her traditions so she can't hold out ingredients on you anymore. Then let her know her cooking secrets are safe with you. Perhaps that will do the trick.

 

“Peter: Oh my god, Brian, there's a message in my Alphabits. It says, 'Oooooo.'

Brian: Peter, those are Cheerios.”

– From Fox TV’s “Family Guy”

 

Tim Oliver

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That's funny and so true! My mom has done the same with me in regards to a bunch of family favorites.

You should sit her down and let her know that you're interested in carrying on her traditions so she can't hold out ingredients on you anymore. Then let her know her cooking secrets are safe with you. Perhaps that will do the trick.

She wasn't really holding out on me as much as I teased her of doing that day. :laugh:

Rather, my family really doesn't measure or even keep track of what we put in our food. We guesstimate (is that a word? :blink: ) our seasonings and pick our ingredients on the spur of the moment thought. :smile: We really should get more organized.

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I also realized that by making these baos with/for relatives it's a great distraction for those inevitable questions such as "When are you going to get a boyfriend?!?" and "When are you going to get married?!?!"  :rolleyes:  All I have to say is "Want some bao?"  :biggrin:  :raz:

And pray tell, uh..er...why are you rejecting all those boys clamouring at your door? Hmmmm...??? :raz::laugh::raz:

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And pray tell,  uh..er...why are you rejecting all those boys clamouring at your door? Hmmmm...??? :raz:  :laugh:  :raz:

Because they're clamouring at my door for my baos!! :laugh::raz::biggrin:

I have to protect "my precioussssssssssss." :wink:

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Wow XL - your baos look great - can see why people stampede for them! I also remember having baos which had cloud ears in them - perhaps that's a suggestion for your future varities of bao?

And yes - very clever ruse to distract the typical Chinese relative questions (when got marry? when having children? WHEN GRANDCHILDREN?!)

I've never tried making my own dough (like your dad - too ma fan when even the frozen ones which you can steam at home are QUALITY!) but - having recently moved from a very cosmopolitan city to an island with a real dearth of chinese eateries/restaurants (the island doesn't even have a single Japanese restaurant!), I'm having massive bao deprivation and will thus have to try my hand at it.

So could I ask - sorry as I'm such a newbie at baos - can we also use the dough made from only flour and yeast for baos like xiu long/shao long bao or pot stickers (guo2 tie4, I think)? Or is the dough totally different? How do you get your dough looking so pearly white (I am thinking - contrasted to pizza dough which for me somehow turns out more yellowy...)

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So could I ask - sorry as I'm such a newbie at baos - can we also use the dough made from only flour and yeast for baos like xiu long/shao long bao or pot stickers (guo2 tie4, I think)? Or is the dough totally different?  How do you get your dough looking so pearly white (I am thinking - contrasted to pizza dough which for me somehow turns out more yellowy...)

I'm so glad you're going to try your own baos Mesona!

The simple flour and yeast dough can be used for pot stickers.

However, I don't think you can use the same dough for xiao long bao. They require a different dough mixture. I'm not sure what that dough is yet. I haven't been experimenting with making xiao long baos yet.

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For potstickers and xia long bao, I have only used a simple flour, salt, and water mixture dough without any leavenings.

I'm interested in trying it with the flour and yeast dough. Does the pot sticker rise and get fluffy when it gets pan fried? That might be pretty good if it does.

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XiaoLing -- your baos are absolutely beautiful. I could almost get an aroma and taste just looking at them!

Question --- did you also add a bit of sugar to the dough?

I don't think I've ever seen a recipe for a leavened dough for guo tie (or shao mai) wrappers. Just plain flour and water. Actually for those I use just plain wonton skins, and they are not leavened.

And -- I really like the idea of putting soy sauce in the noodle water. Such a simple idea, yet clever!!!!! I can't wait to try it!

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Ok...so I stand here in front of all you guys corrected...

I asked my dad about the whole pot sticker dough thing and he said "Aye ya, ben ya tou! You don't put yeast in pot sticker dough!" :blink: Nerve of my old man to call me "ben ya tou" (dumb girl.) You make one illogical train of thought and you get labeled! :hmmm:

For potsticker dough you just mix flour with water and then let the dough rest for a bit.

However, he did say that if you are making steamed dumplings then you should use a bit of yeast. In the north, we make steamed dumplings that are similar to baos.

He also said that if you use mi jiu (home-made fermented rice wine which my mom makes for desserts) and mix it with the flour, you would get a much better dough. Although it will be a bit sweet but it would be a great dough for man tou. (Not to be mistaken for ben ya tou. :laugh: )

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That looks great. I've been making these for about 3 months and I don't think I've fully perfected it yet. The filling, I go different everytime I make it. I've used cellaphane noodles, tofu and napa cabbage. They were all good. I believe the trick is getting ground pork that has a very high fat content (this is not for the weight watcher). I find the ground pork at the grocery to lean and have gone to the local chinese grocery.

As for the wrapping, I've gotten ok at it (got instructions from a youtube video). But, my dough doesn't come out white (like the store bought stuff) but more towards a slight gray. I notice that your dough when steamed had the off white look. Not sure what the secret ingrident or technique is but if any know, please let me know.

As for the dipping sauce, everyone in my family seems to have a different favorite. Mine is hot pepper flakes pickled in oil mixed with soy. Yum.

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But, my dough doesn't come out white (like the store bought stuff) but more towards a slight gray.  I notice that your dough when steamed had the off white look.  Not sure what the secret ingrident or technique is but if any know, please let me know. 

Maybe the difference is bleached vs unbleached flour?

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You know I've never tried rice wine for potsticker dough, I may try that. Wonder what would happen if you used some rice win in bao dough too?

BTW, I have no idea how to fold the dough so it has a little indentation in the middle like your baos (the way xiao long bao looks).

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As for the wrapping, I've gotten ok at it (got instructions from a youtube video).  But, my dough doesn't come out white (like the store bought stuff) but more towards a slight gray.  I notice that your dough when steamed had the off white look.  Not sure what the secret ingrident or technique is but if any know, please let me know. 

Maybe the difference is bleached vs unbleached flour?

We honestly didn't do any secrets or techniques. And my Dad just used regular all purpose flour. It did come out off white and maybe a bit grey. I have a new master plan for that next time. MUAHAHAHAHAHA.... :laugh: I will learn the secret of WHITE baos even if it takes my Dad a hundred dough makings! Gonna put that man to work!

My favourite dipping sauce is half/half soy and rice vinegar, with gochu garu sprinkled on.

God, I can't believe I ever used V-1 plum sauce. Is there a shame emoticon around here?

A V-1 plum sauce?? :blink: That's just....not right....LOL.

I don't dip my baos because they are seasoned enough so that there's really no need for dipping. My brother however sometimes likes to dip baos into hot bean paste.

However, for dumpling dipping, I like to use soy sauce, black vinegar (heavy on that), sesame oil, chili sauce and ginger.

You know I've never tried rice wine for potsticker dough, I may try that.  Wonder what would happen if you used some rice win in bao dough too? 

BTW, I have no idea how to fold the dough so it has a little indentation in the middle like your baos (the way xiao long bao looks).

junehl, you shouldn't use rice wine for potstickers. You can use them for baos though. However, I think there might be a bit of confusion with the term rice wine. There's a special type of rice wine that is made from sweet rice and left to ferment. So the resulting product is also rice wine but it's sweet and there's rice in the "wine." You won't really get drunk from drinking it but it is fermented so that is the rising agent to the dough if added. That's what my Dad meant when he said rice wine (mi jiu.)

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