Steamed Lotus Leaf Buns are soft, fluffy steamed buns made in a folded shape to be filled with meat and veggies to make a delicious sandwich.
Of all of the meals I make for my family, there aren't many that every family member enjoys. One or both of my picky kids often complain about some aspect of many of our meals, but when I make sandwiches with these Steamed Lotus Leaf Buns, everyone loves it.
These buns (or bao) are so soft and fluffy, and when you fill them with some flavorful grilled meat or tofu, crunchy fresh or pickled vegetables, and your favorite sauce, you've got a mouthwatering sandwich that is just so satisfying.
How to Make Steamed Lotus Leaf Buns
Making the Dough
Making these soft, fluffy steamed buns starts very similarly to making any yeasted bread dough. I like to use my stand mixer to make the dough, but you could also use a food processor or knead the dough by hand.
The the bowl of your mixer, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, yeast, baking powder, and salt. In a measuring cup, stir together the water, oil, and sugar.
Turn the mixer on low speed and slowly pour in the water mixture while the mixer is running. Continue mixing, stopping the mixer to scrape down the sides if needed until the dough forms a ball that cleans the sides of the bowl, about 8-10 minutes.
Remove the dough from the mixer and knead by hand a few times until it forms a smooth ball. Lightly brush the inside of a bowl with oil and place the dough in the bowl. Cover the bowl and place in a warm spot to rise until doubled, about an hour.
Getting Ready to Steam
While you're waiting, cut some parchment paper into 12 small (about 3-4") squares. Set them aside. Prepare your steamer by filling a large skillet with warm water and setting a large bamboo steamer over the water, making sure that the water doesn't touch the bottom of the steamer.
Shaping the Dough
Cut the dough into 12 equal pieces (the most accurate way to do this is to weigh the dough, then divide that number by 12 and cut the dough into 12 pieces of this weight).
Working with one piece of dough at a time, form the dough into a ball, then roll the dough into an elongated oval. Lightly brush the top of the oval with some canola oil, then fold the oval in half and place it on top of a parchment square. Place this into the prepared steamer. Repeat this process with the remaining pieces of dough.
Leave the formed dough pieces in the steamer without turning it on to rise until they become puffy, about 30 minutes.
Steaming the Buns
Turn the heat under the steamer setup on high. Once you see steam coming from the top of the steamer turn the heat down to medium and let the buns steam for 10 minutes. Avoid opening the steamer.
After 10 minutes, turn the heat off, but do NOT open the steamer yet. Allow the buns to sit in the hot steamer for an additional 5 minutes. After this time, you can remove the buns from the steamer. They are best served immediately, but can also be re-warmed in the microwave for a few seconds if needed.
Note that if not all of your buns fit into the steamer at once, you may need to repeat the steaming process again. If you think you might make these on a regular basis, I highly recommend investing in a steamer that will fit the entire recipe at once (I have a 10" 2-tier steamer, and they just fit).
Steamed Lotus Leaf Buns Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Cornstarch - this helps to keep the buns nice and soft
- Instant yeast- you could also use regular yeast, and let it proof in the water for the recipe with a little sugar
- Baking powder - this adds a little bit of leavening power to keep the buns light and fluffy
- Salt
- Warm water
- Canola oil or other neutral-flavored cooking oil - plus you'll need a bit more to brush the dough.
- Granulated sugar
Steamed Lotus Leaf Buns Fillings:
Since the buns don't have much flavor themselves, you can really fill them with anything you like. Grilled, roasted, or stir-fried meats or tofu and vegetables are great options.
Most often my family eats them with store-bought char siu (Chinese BBQ Pork), pickled carrots and/or daikon, cilantro, cucumber, and jalapeno. I have also filled them with pork belly, which was also delicious. Glazed grilled tofu, or pan-fried tofu would also be delicious.
Also, don't be afraid to add a little sauce. Hoisin is a favorite in my family, but I also sometimes mix up a little sriracha mayo if I want to add a little spice.
Want more bread recipes?
Steamed Lotus Leaf Buns Nutrition Notes
The nutrition information in the recipe below is for one bun (the recipe makes 12 buns) and does not include any fillings.
This recipe is dairy-free and vegan as written.
Steamed Lotus Leaf Buns
Equipment
- Stand Mixer (optional)
- Bamboo Steamer 10", 2-tier steamer is recommended
- Kitchen scale (optional)
- Silicone Basting Brush
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup warm water
- 2 Tablespoons canola oil or other neutral-flavored cooking oil (plus more to brush the dough)
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
Instructions
- Whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 Tablespoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon instant yeast, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Set aside.
- In a measuring cup, stir together ¾ cup warm water, 2 Tablespoons canola oil, and 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar. Attach a dough hook to the stand mixer and turn the mixer on low speed while slowly pouring in the water mixture.
- Continue to knead the dough in the mixer until all of the flour mixture is incorporated and the dough forms a ball. Turn off the mixer and move the dough to a clean countertop. Knead the dough until it forms a smooth ball, about 30 seconds. Place the ball to rise in an oiled medium bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a lid. Let the dough rise at room temperature for about an hour, until it has doubled in size.
- While you're waiting for the dough to rise, cut 12 3-4" parchment paper squares. You can also go ahead and get your steamer set-up ready. Find a large skillet that is just bigger than your bamboo steamer (a 12" skillet is the perfect fit for a 10" steamer). Fill it with a small amount of warm water (making sure that the water does not touch the bottom of the steamer) and set the steamer into the skillet.
- Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces (the easiest way to do this is to form the dough into a rope and cut into 12 pieces, but the most accurate way is to weigh the dough and divide the total weight by 12).
- Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, and keeping the rest of the dough covered, form the dough into a ball, then use a rolling pin to roll the ball into an elongated oval. Lightly brush the top of the oval with more canola oil. Fold the oval in half and place it on one of the parchment squares. Place it into the bamboo steamer to rise. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough. If you can't fit all of the buns into your steamer at once, place the remaining buns on a plate or baking sheet and cover with plastic until you're done with the first batch.
- Once you've filled your steamer, let the buns rise for another 30 minutes until they become puffy. Then turn the heat on high until the top of the steamer is hot and you see steam starting to come from the steamer. Turn the heat to medium and continue to cook for 10 minutes. Turn the heat off and leave the steamer in place - do NOT open it (this will cause the buns to deflate and become tough and doughy). Let the buns rest in the hot steamer for 5 minutes. Remove the buns from the steamer and serve immediately, or place them somewhere to keep warm if you need to cook a second batch.
- Serve the buns with your desired fillings. Any leftovers can be placed into a zipper bag and stored at room temperature for a day or so, or frozen.
Nutrition
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