Chinese Baozi (or Steamed Buns)
I’ve never made bread before in my entire life and although I feel ashamed that I have not tried or wanted to, I have hope that in time to come I’ll find something that’ll push me to learning how to make good bread. Because, in fact, I do love my bread and all sorts of breads at that. There’s nothing quite like having fresh, warm bread with a bit of butter. But no matter how good it is, somehow, there’s a voice in my head saying bread-making is such a chore and requires so much effort, why not just leave it be and buy your bread from a good bakery? Besides, surely you’re incapable of making something so good? Probably the attempts at bread-making as a kid has left a chip on my shoulder. I’m not too sure, but that’s going to be righted soon enough! So you see, if I have a bit of a problem with bread alone, I surely cannot take on making my own Chinese buns. Nonetheless I have scored the internet for some this-is-how-my-gramma-used-to-make-them recipes and hope to try them out in the future.
The past week was spent tying up loose ends of my paper, food-blogging, updating my music library, reading, lazying about and sleeping. Not a very interesting life, except for moments where I cried at melodramatic tv shows and wished I had a steamed bun to make it better. That feeling didn’t go away for ages and thanks to that, I bought enough to last me a little over another week. That’s why people think I’m a squirrel!
Steamed buns have been around since 1800years ago and legend has it, it was invented by the famous military strategist Zhuge Liang. On a journey to South China, Zhuge Liang’s army fell ill. He thus created the ‘mantou’ which directly translated – means flour head as it was shaped like a man’s head, as sacrifice in prayer. These were then given to the soldier’s as sustenance. This is just one of the many legends about the baozi and which I had to look up on the internet because I kept getting it confused with the Legend of the Mooncake.
The mantou is probably the original bun. Slightly rectangular in shape and having no filling, the baozi takes its roots from the humble mantou. The baozi, which means wrapped-up, has the same white, fluffy bread. A step up from the mantou is its filling. Either savoury or sweet, meats of all kinds, vegetables, pickles, sweet pastes and custard fillings were the assorted buns that started to be made. And till today, the baozi and mantou are both staples in China. Great as a snack, they’re welcome at any table come any meal. The different fillings of bread buns are denoted by specific coloured dots or folded patterns on the top of the bun. Soup-filled baozi, though they look like mini versions of the usual baozi, are made with a different dough similar to that of making dumplings and filled with meat and a lard-based soup. They are then eaten with ginger and vinegar. Absolutely delish.
A very special baozi is the peach bun. Filled with a sweet lotus paste, you can get these as a normal white baozi. On special occasions or at fancy restaurants with a dim sum service, you can find these in the shape of peaches which have been coloured a bright pink. Peaches, for the Chinese, represent longevity. If you’ve read the story of the Monkey God, you’ll understand this even better (the Monkey God becomes an immortal god because he stole the longevity fruit – peach from the tree of longevity which yes, belongs to all the ancient gods). Today, not only do you get these classic flavours, fusion food and the drive to try new things have created new flavours like Green Tea buns, Yam buns and Chocolate buns. talk about excitement!
I was a fat kid in the past. Big, round chubster and that pays respect to the gorgeous steamed bun. Daddy always bought them, all my favourite ones, in bulk (I’m just exaggerating, but he did buy enough to feed the square root of our family) and kept them chilled so we could get them out whenever we fancied and steam them before eating. Daddy usually had them steamed really early in the morning even before the sun was out so we could have them just warm enough with the filling still steaming just slightly for breakfast. The steamed bun wasn’t just gastro-ecstacy for us lot, it was battle fuel before school. Brain food. A lot of my heart goes out to that humble bit of bread. What a shocker that this undecorated, simple round bun holds so much significance for not just me, but a lot of other people here, there, everywhere. I’m sure for anyone who tries it, it’ll be enough to get you thinking. However, if it doesn’t hit you somewhere in your heart, I hope at least your stomach will remember it enough to bite you in the gut sometime later with cravings for it.
April 8th, 2008 at 1:17 am
I love the peach bun baozi. The lotus paste inside is warm, sweet and gooey – just the perfect mix with the white soft dough. For birthday parties, sometimes we can get a super giant peach baozi with all the mini ones nesting inside. It’s quite a sight and a cross-generational favorite!
April 8th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
Great photo’s. These sound delicious.
April 8th, 2008 at 9:15 pm
First, wonderful photo.
Second, the photo makes me incredibly hungry.
Lastly, I love all forms of baozi, and any form of anything derived from the mantou. This is, and always will be my favorite food, ever. So thank you for this exciting post!
April 8th, 2008 at 11:53 pm
Hmmm reminds me of my childhood, had breakfast with bakpao (that’s what we call for steamed buns).
April 10th, 2008 at 11:14 am
I have never tasted this before, but the photo is fantastic.
May 1st, 2008 at 5:40 pm
These little buns showed up at every meal when I was in China. I have to say I found them dry, bland. I just didn’t get it. My son who just returned from China was raving about them so I picked up some frozen ones at our Asian market. I steamed them in a bamboo steamer and WOW! What a difference. They were divine!
May 4th, 2008 at 3:16 am
these look aweSOME!
i neva actually tried them but u think u can gimme the recipe? =)
August 7th, 2008 at 11:47 pm
WOW!! those photos are great.
but yes Baozi are soo yummie, i don’t know anybody who dislikes them.
I personally LOVE THEM..
but i was just wondering….
how do they make the top of teh buns that nice pink color?
August 8th, 2008 at 2:37 am
Hey Diva,
I ate some of the plain Baozi in Xian but didn’t know the chinese name. Now i know that and am learning how to cook them for an olympic party i am hosting at my house. Thanks a bunch and please email me if you have any tips for some one who has never made anything like this.
September 11th, 2008 at 3:18 am
Hi, I was looking for some plain Baozi recipe, but i never find one as good as this. would you show me how to do it. would you give out this recipe to me. I love to bake and cook. hope you email back. martha
September 15th, 2008 at 9:07 pm
One (and only one) of our Chinese restaurants locally served those lovely peaches. Then one day they sold the name and left. I hope to find a recipe as your picture is making me hungry!
January 3rd, 2009 at 3:45 pm
Ok, strange question. But recently on a trip to Singapore we tried these filled with sesame paste. They were yum….but how are you suppose to eat them? I’m sure stabbing them with a chop stick isn’t right.
March 16th, 2009 at 1:26 am
I definitely need one of these recipes for the peach bun. I want to make it for my grandma’s birthday coming up.
April 18th, 2009 at 5:49 am
Hey, can you give me the recipe for the bun. I mean the decorating part too… I have been looking for the receipe of how to decorate the bun. Thanks.
April 19th, 2009 at 10:18 am
Kathy: hello there. thanks for commenting. unfortunately, these buns were storebought so I do not have a recipe for them. My gramma used to make these when she was alive but I have yet to test out her recipe either. I do hope you find one soon, all the best! Sorry i couldn’t help.
xx
April 23rd, 2010 at 7:30 am
whenever I see shou-tao buns, my first reaction would be ‘god eat first, then us’ in order to have pink health and longevity.
April 29th, 2010 at 5:15 pm
[...] Meat Buns. And if you don’t know what Chinese Steamed Buns are than check out this post, Chinese Baozi (or Steamed Buns), she gives a good description I [...]
August 26th, 2010 at 3:29 pm
I absolutely love these things I ate the filipino version sio pao and i want to learn how to make the Baozi for my mother who has never tasted anything like this. please if you would email me simple instructions as I’m not much of a cook it would be highly appreciated. Thank you
August 26th, 2010 at 5:00 pm
Brittney: Thanks for comment. I’m afraid as mentioned in the post, these were not made by myself but storebought. I do not have a recipe for baozi as my gramma used to make them by hand for us and I never did learn how to. You can find a recipe for it I’m sure via Google as I have seen some fairly good recipes on the web. Hope that helps. x