This tutorial shows you how to fill and pleat Chinese steamed buns the traditional way
Ingredients
1 recipe bao dough (about 1 1/4 pounds dough)
1 1/2 cups filling of choice
Parchment paper, or paper muffin liners and vegetable oil
Dumpling dowel (optional)
Instructions
Prepare the steam papers. Cut out 15 (3-inch) squares of parchment paper. Alternatively, flip 15 paper muffin liners inside out to flatten slightly and coat lightly with cooking spray or brush with vegetable oil.
Divide the dough. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and divide into 15 pieces (38 to 40 grams each). Form each into a smooth ball (it’s best to pinch off a piece of dough and form immediately into a ball). Fill and form one bun at a time, keeping the remaining buns covered under a damp towel to keep them from drying out.
Form the wrapper. Press a dough ball into a 3 1/2-inch-wide disc (if the dough is sticky, dust your hands with cake flour). Pick up the disc and place it flat in your non-dominant hand. Gently flatten and stretch the edges with your other hand until the disc is about 4 inches wide with a slightly thicker center. (Alternatively, roll the dough out with a dumpling dowel.)
Fill the bun. Holding the wrapper flat in your non-dominant hand, spoon about 1 1/2 tablespoons filling onto the center, piling it high and cupping your hand slightly.
Fold the first pleat. Pleat with your dominant hand: Place your thumb next to the filling and your index finger on the underside of the wrapper and lift that section up slightly. Use your middle finger to gather and pull the next section of wrapper toward your thumb to form a pleat. Pinch the pleat together.
Continue pleating all the way around. Keeping your thumb in the same position the whole time and using your index finger to hold the last pleat in place, repeat using your middle finger to grab and fold more pleats, working your way around until all the wrapper is pleated. Use your non-dominant thumb to push the filling down as you pleat.
Pinch and twist to seal. Pinch the dough where all the pleats meet and twist this part toward you while at the same time twisting the bun away from you with your other hand. This will make the folds take on a more swirled look. Gently round out the bun with your hands if you’d like, then place on a parchment square. Repeat filling the remaining buns.
