Char Siu Bao

Yield: 18-20 bao

Char Siu Bao (China)

Fluffy, cloud-like bao buns filled with tender slices of sweet and savory Chinese barbecue pork, this Char Siu Bao recipe is a street food classic that captures the essence of China’s bustling markets. Chef Devan Rajkumar brings this beloved dish to life in Global Street Eats, where he explores how street food connects cultures around the world.

In Episode 1 of Global Street Eats, Asian Favorites, Chef Dev shares stories from his travels across Asia while recreating some of his most memorable bites — from smoky Japanese Yakitori to crispy Vietnamese Salt and Pepper Crab. His take on the Chinese Pork Bun showcases the perfect balance of textures and flavors: soft steamed bao, tangy pickled vegetables, and rich, sticky Char Siu glazed in a bold, umami-packed sauce.

Simple, comforting, and deeply flavorful, these buns represent what Global Street Eats is all about, affordable, authentic dishes made with heart that bring global flavor right to your kitchen.

Ingredients:

Bao Dough:

• 525 g cake flour
• 1 tsp (4.9 ml) baking powder
• 1 ½ tbsp (22 ml) granulated sugar
• ½ tsp (2.5 ml) salt
• 2 tsp (9.9 ml) instant yeast
• 50 g warm water
• 300 g milk

Char Siu:

• 350 g store bought char siu pork from the Asian market, sliced thin
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 1 inch hunk of ginger, grated
• 2 tbsp (29.6 ml) Worcestershire sauce
• 4 tbsp (59 ml) ketchup
• 4 tbsp (59 ml) hoisin sauce
• 2 tbsp (29.6 ml) dark soy sauce
• 2 tbsp (29.6 ml) rice vinegar

To Finish:

• 2 cups (480 ml) carrot cut into matchsticks
• 2 cups (480 ml) purple cabbage cut into matchsticks
• ½ cup (120 ml) rice vinegar
• Sesame seeds
• 1 small cucumber, sliced
• 6 tbsp (88.7 ml) spicy mayonnaise

Method:

For the Bao Dough:

Add the yeast to the warm water to bloom.

Whisk together the cake flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the yeast and water along with the milk to the dry ingredients and stir to bring together.

Lightly flour your work surface and turn out the dough. Knead for 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth. Lightly oil a bowl, form the dough into a ball, and place it in the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a cloth towel and leave the dough to rise until it has doubled in size, about 2 hours.

Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a work surface. Roll out to ¼ inch thickness and use a 6-inch round cookie cutter to cut out about 18-20 rounds.

Lightly brush the tops of the dough rounds with oil, fold them over, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap or a cloth towel and allow to rest for 1 hour, or until the dough pockets have doubled in size.

Line the basket of a bamboo steamer with a round of parchment paper to prevent the bao from sticking. Add the steamer to a wok or large skillet set over medium-high heat, add 2 inches of water to the pan and bring to a boil. Working in batches, add bao to the steamer basket, cover, and steam until the bao have puffed up, about 8 minutes.

For the Char Siu:

Add the garlic, ginger, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, hoisin sauce, dark soy sauce, and rice vinegar to a medium skillet over medium-high heat and stir to combine. Once the sauce comes to a simmer, stir in the char siu pork and take the skillet off the heat.

To Finish:

Toss the carrot and cabbage in the rice vinegar and set aside to marinate for 1 hour. Drain in a colander.

Spread the bottom of the individual bao pockets with spicy mayo. Top with char siu pork, carrots and cabbage, cucumber slices, and sesame seeds.