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I made char siu bao for the first time last night and followed this recipe to make the dough. It came out great tasting but bad looking- I couldn't find advice on how to shape the bao correctly. Are there any instructions or tips I can follow so that it looks a bit nicer?

Below is a picture of one tier before steaming. I just folded up the sides and tried to spin the center. (Next time I'll definitely make the bao smaller and put in less filling, since some of these started leaking while they were steaming.) I put each bao in a paper baking cup, but when they were done, most of the bao were stuck to the cups and the bottom just broke open.

Description

Thanks for any help!

Update: Here's my second batch- came out much much better by following the tips below:

enter image description here

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mdegges
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  • any more specifics on what it went wrong? Specifically what did it look like? – talon8 May 02 '13 at 18:57
  • yes, I edited my question with more info and a pic! – mdegges May 02 '13 at 19:30
  • Those don't look all that bad to me, especially for a first try. The two in the back row are actually pretty credible. I suspect you will get a lot better just with practice! – SAJ14SAJ May 02 '13 at 20:54
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    See this recipe, with tips and pictures on forming the bao: http://blog.junbelen.com/2010/02/15/how-to-make-char-siu-bao-siopao-steamed-pork-buns-at-home/ – SAJ14SAJ May 04 '13 at 00:36
  • Thanks for all the info. I learned a lot while making the second batch of bao. Here are some tips that I found helpful: 1. Start off by making small buns (and make sure to use a rolling pin to even out the dough). 2. Add a heaping teaspoon of filling to the center. 3. Gather up all 5 sides (not 4!!) and pinch the middle instead of twirling. 4. Generously spray some oil on the baking cups before adding the buns in the steamer, to avoid the buns sticking and tearing apart. – mdegges May 04 '13 at 04:17
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    @mdegges Since you've discovered some good techniques, you can answer your own question. You don't have to accept it, you can still hope for other more experienced answers too, but you may as well put your answer in its proper place! – Cascabel May 04 '13 at 04:35

1 Answers1

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Some tips I found useful while making the second batch of bao:

  1. Start out by making small buns
  2. Use a rolling pin to even out the dough (should be about 3-4 inches in diameter)
  3. Add just a small amount of filling to the center
  4. Gather up all 5 sides (not 4!!) and pinch them together in the middle
  5. Generously spray oil in baking cups, and place buns in cups (this way the buns won't stick to the steamer or to the baking cups)
  6. Steam for 15 mins, or freeze and steam at a later date for 20 mins
mdegges
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