Ingredients
- Bao: 1.5 cups flour
- Bao: 1 tsp baking powder
- Bao: 1 tsp yeast
- Bao: 1/3 cup sugar
- Bao: 1/3 cup oil
- Bao: 3/4 cup warm water
- Bao: 4 tsp milk
- Chicken: 4 thighs
- Chicken: 2 tsp sea salt
- Chicken: 1/4 tsp black pepper
- Chicken: 1 cup corn flour
- Chicken: neutral oil for deep frying, roughly 1 litre (not in the original notebook, the Chicken component lists no fat at all, and the 1/3 cup of oil on the page belongs to the bao dough and is used up there)
- Sauce: 1/3 cup soy sauce
- Sauce: 1/3 cup sugar or honey
- Sauce: 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- Sauce: 2 tbsp gochujang
- Sauce: 2 tbsp ketchup
- Sauce: 3 cloves garlic
Equipment. Steamer basket, Squares of baking paper to sit the buns on, A deep, heavy pot for frying, Instant-read thermometer
Method
- Bao: Mix dry ingredients, make a well in the middle
- Bao: Mix wet ingredients, then stir with dry
- Bao: Knead for 5 minutes
- Bao: Cover and rest for 90 minutes
- Bao: Once risen, knead for 5 minutes
- Bao: Cut dough into circles
- Bao: Fold each circle and use oil on the inside to avoid sticking
- Bao: Steam for 12 minutes
- Chicken: Cut the thighs into bite-size pieces
- Chicken: Season all over with the sea salt and black pepper
- Chicken: Leave for 20 minutes until the surface looks wet
- Chicken: Dredge each piece in corn flour and press the coating on
- Chicken: Shake off the loose flour
- Chicken: Heat oil to 350F
- Chicken: Fry in batches for 5 to 6 minutes until golden and cooked through
- Chicken: Rest on a wire rack
- Chicken: For extra crunch, fry a second time for 1 to 2 minutes
- Sauce: Mince the garlic
- Sauce: Put the soy sauce, sugar or honey, vinegar, gochujang, ketchup and garlic in a small pan
- Sauce: Bring to the boil, then simmer for 5 minutes until it coats a spoon
- Sauce: Toss the fried chicken in the sauce while both are still hot
- Sauce: Fill the steamed bao straight away
How long does it really take?
About three hours. The 12 minute steam at the end is the smallest part of it.
Active work is around half an hour. Toss the chicken in the sauce while both are hot and fill the buns straight away. A glazed piece left on a rack goes soft.
Why does the dough look so wet?
Because on these numbers it is. One and a half cups of flour is about 190 g, against 3/4 cup of water at roughly 180 g.
If the dough will not come together firmly enough to knead and cut into circles, add flour a spoonful at a time.
What goes in the bun?
Add something sharp to cut the glaze. Sliced cucumber, quick-pickled carrot or spring onion all work.
Sit each bun on a square of baking paper in the steamer. Without one they weld to the basket and tear when you lift them.