Pork buns, also known as cha siu baau or baozi, are a classic Chinese dim sum filled with pork in hoisin or barbecue sauce. They can be steamed or baked and may also be made with chicken, shrimp, or beef. Pork buns have also inspired Hawaiian, Japanese, and Vietnamese cuisines.
A pork bun is a classic Chinese type of dim sum or dumplings. It is often associated with Cantonese cuisine and is called cha siu baau. The buns may also be called baozi, especially if they are filled with ingredients other than pork. The typical pork bun is, as the name suggests, stuffed with pork in hoisin or barbecue sauce, and the filling is often dark brown or very red in color.
The most traditional way to cook a pork bun is by steaming it. This makes the yeast-flour dough look white. The outside is sometimes cakey and thick, and when it’s not steamed long enough, the inside can taste raw and mushy. Another method, which is popular in some North American Chinese restaurants, is to bake pork buns. With a little glaze like egg wash, they turn a deep golden brown and often have a fuller flavor than the steamed variety.
The type you will get in a Chinese restaurant largely depends on the preferences of the restaurant. Steamed pork buns seem more common since dim sum has become popular. However, if you live in an area with a good Chinese bakery, often found in large cities with a significant Chinese-American presence, you may find both types, with freshly baked buns possibly being available as steamed ones.
Although some pork bun recipes may use rice flour, in the United States, wheat flour is more common. The yeast dough is rolled into rings, stuffed with the barbecued pork, and then pinched on top so that the filling does not spill out. If the buns are baked, the pinched top usually becomes the bottom so that the bun has a round top. When served hot, as usual, the pork bun filling can be extremely hot, so you should be careful as you take your first few bites.
If you prefer something else, you don’t have to rely on the familiar pork. Alternatively, you can use minced or finely chopped chicken. This is common in the Philippines where a pork bun may be called a siopao instead. Not only is chicken popular, but siopao can be stuffed with shrimp or ground beef. Each version of siapao may have a name that reflects changes in ingredients.
The pork bun has also inspired Hawaiian food. In Hawaii, you might see manapua on the menu instead of pork buns or cha siu baau. You’ll likely find them steamed instead of baked. Japanese and Vietnamese cuisines also make use of this bun, again, more often steamed than baked, with a variety of ingredients used to create the center.
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