These mini buns is a classic savory dim sum dish enjoyed in Cantonese cuisine. These are soft and fluffy steamed bun, that encase a filling of aromatic Chinese sausage, known as lap cheung. These are made mini, so you're meant to eat more than one. Warning... they get addicting, proceed with caution!
History of Lap Cheung Baos:
Lap cheung, also known as Chinese sausage, has a long and rich history that dates back centuries in Chinese cuisine. The precise origin of lap cheung is somewhat obscure, but it is believed to have originated in Southern China, particularly in regions like Guangdong (Canton) and Fujian provinces. These regions have a tradition of preserving meat using techniques such as curing, smoking, and air-drying.
Traditional lap cheung is made primarily from pork, although there are variations that use other meats such as duck or chicken. The meat is typically mixed with seasonings such as soy sauce, sugar, salt, rice wine, and various spices, including star anise, cinnamon, and sometimes cloves or fennel seeds. This seasoning blend imparts the distinctive sweet, savory, and aromatic flavor profile that lap cheung is known for.Once seasoned, the meat mixture is stuffed into casings made from either pork intestines or synthetic materials. The sausages are then air-dried, smoked, or cured through various methods depending on regional preferences and family recipes.
Lap cheong has been a staple ingredient in Chinese cooking for centuries, prized for its long shelf life, rich flavor, and versatility. It is used in a wide range of dishes, including stir-fries, fried rice, soups, and, of course, the iconic lap cheung bao (Chinese sausage buns). In addition to its culinary uses, lap cheung is also a symbol of prosperity and good fortune in Chinese culture, often enjoyed during festivals, celebrations, and family gatherings.
Today, lap cheung continues to be a beloved ingredient in both traditional and modern Chinese cuisine, as well as in various Asian dishes around the world. Its enduring popularity speaks to its cultural significance and timeless appeal.
My Inspiration Behind This:
Lap cheung bao will always be nostalgic to me and hold a special place in my heart. My family use to go to dim sum together every single weekend when I was younger. Every Saturday at the same place, the same time, and the same location, the same comforting dishes in bambo steamers were placed in front of me. For some reason, lap cheung baos were rare to me, it was like a golden treat that I only got occasionally even though it's readily available at every dim sum location. My dad has some traumatic childhood story with them, so he never allowed my siblings and I to eat them. My mom knew how much I loved them and would sneak some to us when she got the chance.
Now that I'm 24, well, I get to choose what I want to eat and when I want to eat it. Being able to make lap cheung baos for myself and for my family was like a symbolism of my independence. It may sound silly but after biting into these, it brought me back to my childhood, a safe and happy place I am so thankful for. I hope it can do the same for you, and if not, hopefully it can at least comfort your taste buds!
Ingredients We're Working with Today:
Warm water - this is super important, the temperature of the water will activate the yeast and allow it to bloom.
Active yeast- the active yeast is like the enzyme that needs the catalyst (warm water) in order for everything to be kick started.
Granulated sugar - I believe all breads need sugar. Yeast feeds on sugar to produce carbon dioxide, which is essential for the rising of the dough. During fermentation, yeast converts sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide, leading to the formation of bubbles that create a light and airy texture in the bread.
Neutral oil - this plays many roles in bread making: tenderizes the crumb, adds moisture to the dough, increases shelf life, improves flavor, aids in gluten development, and enhances crust texture.
All purpose flour - contains proteins called glutenin and gliadin, which combine to form gluten when mixed with water. Gluten is essential for bread making as it provides structure and elasticity to the dough.The protein content of all-purpose flour helps the dough retain gases released by yeast, resulting in good volume and a desirable crumb structure in the baked bread.
Cornstarch - helps improve the softness and tenderness of bread by interfering with gluten formation. Cornstarch acts as a tenderizer, inhibiting gluten formation and resulting in a softer crumb.
Salt - flavor enhancement, regulation of yeast activity, gluten development, dough conditioning, crust formation
Baking soda - baking soda is often used as the primary leavening agent. This gives out bread height and fluff.
Chinese Sausage - these are typically cured and seasoned super well. Chinese sausage links have a umami-rich flavor with hints of sweetness and a subtle aroma of spices and rice wine.
Commonly Asked Questions:
Can I use instant yeast?
Yes! Although this recipe calls for active yeast, the critical point with using active yeast is making sure the temperature of the water is right in order to active the yeast. With instant yeast, the temperature of the water is not of importance. Simply add the water to the yeast, you still need to wait for the yeast to bloom, so give it the same time as you would with the active yeast.
Are these freezable?
What isn't? Just kidding, but yes they are. Go through with cooking the buns cool, after cooking, seal them in a ziplock bag. To heat up, remove from the bag and proceed with the steamer steps listed below.
This is recipe #1 of my Brekky Favs Series, check out the others:
#2- Filipino Tocino with Garlic Rice
#3- Crispy Scallion Pancakes
#4- Ube Cream Japanese Souffle Pancakes
#5- Hawaiian Loco Moco
#6- Double Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
#7 - Korean Egg Drop Sandwich
Prefer to Watch? Click Here: Lap Cheung Bao (Chinese Sausage Buns)
Lap Cheung Bao (Chinese Sausage Buns)
Total time: 2 hours | Serving: 10 pieces | Level: IntermediateI |
Equipment:
**Optional - Pastry Brush
Ingredients:
3/4 cup warm water (171 grams)
2 teaspoon active yeast (6 grams)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar (12.5 grams)
1 tablespoon neutral oil (13 grams)
2 cups all purpose flour (240 grams)
2 tablespoons cornstarch (20 grams)
¼ teaspoon salt (1.5 grams)
1/8 teaspoon baking soda (0.8 grams)
5 Chinese Sausage, cut in half (lop cheong)
Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk together warm water, yeast and sugar. Let the mixture rest for 10-15 minutes, until the mixture is frothy.
In a medium bowl, combine together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda. Stir in the yeast mixture until well combined. You can choose to knead the dough with your hands or use a stand mixer. If using a stand mixer, need for 8 minutes, if kneading by hand, knead for around 12 minutes. The dough should me smooth and soft to touch.
Place the dough in a large bowl and brush the dough with oil, cover with plastic wrap, and let the dough doubled in size. (Room temperature for about 1 hour).
While the dough is proofing, prepare your steaming device.
just split them lengthwise after they’ve steamed and cooled and use half a chinese sausage for each bun
After proofing, punch the dough and knead it for a few minutes. Divide the dough into 10 equal balls and shape each ball into a long strip, measuring 10 inches long. Wrap each length of dough around your halved lap cheung and tuck in the loose ends.
Place the buns on cut out parchment paper, and cover the buns with plastic warmth to let rise for 20 more minutes.
Place the buns in the steamer with 2 inches of cold water and turn the heat to medium. Once steam is visible, place the buns in the steamer for10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, turn the heat off and let the buns rest inside the steamer for 5 minutes LEAVING the cover on. This will help the buns maintain it's height and shape.
After five minutes, serve the buns and enjoy!**NOTE: These Chinese sausage buns are freezable! Let the buns cool and keep sealed in a ziplock bag. Simply reheat by placing the frozen buns into a steamer, and steaming for 10 minutes.
