3 - 4tbsp soy sauceI use both, sweet and salty soy sauce
pinch ofsamballeave out if you don't want it to be spicy
pinch ofsalt
pinch of pepper
Additional ingredients
2 tbspneutral oilfor baking
bit offlour for dusting the work surface
somechili saucefor dipping
Instructions
For the dough
In a bowl of a standmixer combine the ingredients for the dough. Start on low speed to combine the ingredients and then knead for about 10 minutes on medium speed. The dough should be elastic and really soft but not stick to your fingers or on the mixing bowl.
Take the dough out from the hook and form like a ball. Slightly greese the mixing bowl with some oil and place the dough back to the mixing bowl. Cover with a plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour.
For the filling
Heat some oil in a frying pan and cook the onion and garlic until softened. Then add the minced meat and cook stirring until browned and crumbly.
Add the soy sauce and sambal, if using, and cook while stirring for a couple of minutes.
Season to taste with salt and pepper and leave it to cool a bit.
Prepare the bapao
Divide the dough into little balls of dough of approximately 60 gram.
Sprinkle some flour on the working surface and flatten the little balls of dough. You now have little disks of dough.
Fill each disk of dough with some filling. 1 or 2 tbsp should be enough.
Moisten the edges slightly with water and fold the dough around the filling.
Place the buns with the closure down on a piece of baking paper and let them rise, covered with plastic wrap, for about 45 minutes
Steaming the bapao
Place a steamer basket over a pan of boiling water and place a piece of parchment paper in the center of the basket. Carefully place a few buns at a time in the basket and steam the bapao for 15 minutes.
Alternatively you can use a steam oven.
Serve the bapao still warm with some chili sauce for dipping. Enjoy!
Notes
You can also freeze Bapao very well. After thawing, you can heat them up in the microwave or by briefly steaming them again.
Keyword appetizer, appetizeridea, baking, bao bun, snack, steamed bun