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Tianjin pork baozi
Gǒubùlǐ-style bāozi (狗不理包子) — Tianjin's soupy steamed pork buns with 18 neat pleats
Tianjin people queue on winter mornings for these small steamed buns, famous since the 1850s for their many fine pleats and for the burst of savoury juice inside. The filling is minced pork beaten with ginger and spring onion water until it holds a surprising amount of liquid, so the first bite is soupy and the soft, slightly springy wrapper soaks up the rest. Bakers aim for 18 pleats arranged like a chrysanthemum. Eat them hot for breakfast with a dish of vinegar, crushed garlic and a bowl of millet porridge or soy milk. Chef's tip: use pork with about 30 per cent fat; lean mince gives dry, crumbly filling however much water you add.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 5
Ingredients
For the dough
For the filling
To serve
Method
0/10 doneStep 1: Mix 1 ⅛ lb plain flour, ⅛ oz instant yeast and 1 tsp sugar, add 1 cup lukewarm water and knead for 8–10 minutes into a smooth, soft dough. Cover and leave in a warm place for 40–60 minutes, until about 1.5 times its size. Don't let it double: over-proofed dough tears when pleated and the buns collapse in the steamer.
50 minStep 2: Meanwhile, squeeze ⅔ oz fresh ginger and 2 spring onions into ¾ cup cold water with your hand for 1 minute, then leave to infuse for 10 minutes and strain. Chill the water.
10 minStep 3: On a separate board, put 1 ⅛ lb minced pork, about 30% fat in a bowl with 2 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp dark soy sauce, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar and ½ tsp ground white pepper. Stir hard in one direction with chopsticks for 2 minutes until sticky.
2 minStep 4: Add the aromatic water 2 tablespoons at a time, beating in the same direction until each addition disappears before the next. The filling should end up shiny, loose and juicy. Stir in 1 tbsp sesame oil and chill for 15 minutes so it firms enough to wrap.
20 minStep 5: Knock back the dough, knead briefly and roll into a long log. Cut into 20 pieces (about 38 g each) and keep them covered.
Step 6: Roll each piece into a 9 cm round with a thicker centre and thinner edge. Place a heaped tablespoon of filling in the middle.
Step 7: Hold the wrapper in one hand and, with the other, pinch and fold the edge into small pleats, turning the bun as you go and aiming for about 18 pleats. Twist the top closed with a small swirl. Practise a few; the first ones never look perfect.
25 minStep 8: Set each bun on a square of baking paper in a steamer basket, 3 cm apart. Cover and rest for 10–15 minutes until slightly puffy.
15 minStep 9: Steam over rapidly boiling water for 12–14 minutes, in batches. The buns should be glossy and spring back when pressed, and the filling must reach 160°F (160 °F) in the centre.
14 minStep 10: Turn off the heat and wait 2 minutes before lifting the lid, so the buns do not wrinkle. Serve hot with vinegar and garlic, and warn everyone about the hot juice.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 24 g
- Carbs
- 76 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tianjin pork baozi take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 90 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 5 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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