Chinese Bao ~ Indian Style
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 16 pieces
 
Ingredients
Bao Dough
  • 3 cups/460g all purpose/plain flour
  • 1 packet/7g instant yeast
  • 11/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • ¾ cup/177mL hot milk (hand hot)
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 1 egg beaten
  • 2 cups/260g diced, cooked tandoori chicken
Mint-Cilantro Chutney
  • 1 cup/13g fresh mint
  • 1 cup/13g fresh cilantro
  • 1 green chilli
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • salt to taste
  • 2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
Instructions
  1. Make the bao dough first and let it rise.
  2. Proof the yeast in the slightly hot milk with the sugar.
  3. Mix flour and salt together in the bowl of a mixer.
  4. Once the yeast milk mixture is frothy, add to the flour and mix.
  5. Add the egg and the oil.
  6. You may need a bit more milk depending on how dry your flour is that day.
  7. Using the dough hook, let the dough come together.
  8. Knead for about 10 minutes until it is a smooth ball.
  9. Place ball of dough in a greased bowl in a warm place to rise.
  10. Since it's a heavy milk dough, it will take a good 90 minutes to 2 hours to double in size.
  11. Make the chutney.
  12. Add the mint, cilantro, green chilli into a blender with a dribble of water (2 tablespoons or so) and blend to a paste.
  13. Check for salt and add the cumin.
  14. Mix a couple of tablespoons of the chutney and sweet chilli sauce into the chicken filling.
  15. You don't want it too liquidy or it will be hard to make the buns.
  16. Put aside.
  17. Preheat the oven to 350℉/180℃
  18. Once the dough has doubled, pull the dough onto a counter and roll into a log.
  19. Cut into 16 pieces.
  20. Roll each piece into a ball and put aside.
  21. Work one at a time and roll out the ball into a circle of about 6-8 inches (15-20 cm)
  22. Make the dough thicker in the centre, thinner at the edges.
  23. Put a scant teaspoon of the filing into the centre of the rolled dough.
  24. Pull up the edged of the dough towards the centre, pinching the dough and sealing as you go.
  25. Twist the top a bit to ensure it is sealed. I wet the edges a bit, it was easier to seal them that way
  26. Put them on a baking sheet and repeat until all are made into buns.
  27. Brush them with a beaten egg and place them in the oven.
  28. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, until they are golden brown and risen.
  29. Cool a little before eating.
  30. Serve with extra sweet chilli chutney or the mint chutney.
Notes
Drain the chicken mixture in the chutney a little before filling the dough. Too much liquid and you will have it seeping through the top.
Recipe by Coffee and Crumpets at http://www.coffeeandcrumpets.com/chinese-bao-indian-style/