Now that I had the Char Siu ready to go, I could now make the bao! Char Siu Bao are little dumplings that are stuffed with pork, chicken, or eggs. BBQ pork is the most common filing used in the buns, and can be either steamed or baked. I actually tried both ways but I ended up preferring the steaming method. They turned out softer and had a more dumpling-like consistency.
This recipe involves quite a bit of time and work. It takes a little creativity as well if you don’t own a steamer. It was all worth it because they turned out so tasty! John and I were immediately hooked on them. I had never worked with yeast before and that turned out to be a time consuming, but fairly easy part of the process. You just have to wait a while for the yeast to rise, so I made the dough and formed the buns the night before to save time. The buns were great dipped in a little soy and hoisin sauce, and topped with fresh green onions.
