During my Thanksgiving visit to my mother-in-law, she made steamed buns (or “bao”) with Chinese sausage (aka lap cheong). The recipe was delightfully simple, but the combination of flavors was surprisingly delicious. I was especially taken with how she shaped the buns—cutting lines and wrapping them like little mummies. It was very easy to do and gave the buns a decorative touch.
Inspired by this, I decided to recreate the dish myself. I used my yeasted Basic Steamed Milk Buns (Mantou) recipe as a base basic and it came out wonderfully. If you want to make a sourdough version, you can reference this recipe for the sourdough bun: Sourdough Basic Steamed Buns (Mantou).
Looking for more steamed bun recipes? Check out these recipes:
- Black Sesame Bao & Mantou (Steamed Bun)
- Toasted Milk Mantou (Steamed Buns)
- Sourdough Basic Steamed Buns (Mantou)
Chinese Sausage Steamed Bun
These Chinese Sausage Steamed Buns feature soft, pillowy dough filled with savory, flavorful Chinese sausage. Steamed to perfection, the buns offer a delightful blend of sweet and salty flavors with a tender, fluffy texture. Perfect for a quick snack or a delicious meal.
Equipment
- bamboo steamer / steam basket
- Parchment paper or silicone steam basket liner
Ingredients
- 150 g milk or water
- 30 g sugar
- 3/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 15 g neutral oil
- 250 g all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 5 Chinese sausage cut in half
Instructions
- Heat water or milk in the microwave for 30 seconds until it’s hot but not too hot to touch. Stir in the sugar, then sprinkle the yeast on top. Let it sit for 5 minutes until it becomes foamy. Once foamy, mix in the oil.
- In a bowl, combine flour and baking powder. Mix the flour mixture into the yeast mixture and knead until a smooth, elastic dough forms. Let it rest for 1 hour.
- Line your steamer with parchment paper and a steaming cloth or liner.
- Transfer the dough to a work surface and divide into 10 equal pieces, about 44g each. Roll each piece into a ball, then flatten and roll out into a rectangle. Place a piece of Chinese sausage at one end, then make thin vertical cuts along the opposite edge. Press down the edges of the cuts to help seal.
- Roll up each rectangle with the sausage inside and place the buns seam-side down in the lined steam basket. Cover and let proof for 30-60 minutes.
- Add water to a pot, bring to a boil, then place the steam basket on top. Steam the buns for 10-12 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the buns sit, covered, for 5 minutes before serving.
- Storage: You can freeze the buns once they have cooled. To reheat, just pop it back into the steam basket and repeat the steaming step.
