A Vietnamese Banh Bao is the Ultimate morning or afternoon treat for everyone. You’ll enjoy how quickly they reheat from the freezer, making them ideal for packed lunches. So what’s the greatest part? Each one tastes equally as good as the first!

What exactly is a Banh Bao?

Bánh bao literally translates to “bun cake.” The Vietnamese Banh bao, like the Chinese bao zi, is a delicate and airy steamed bun with a flavorful pork stuffing. However, although both are nearly identical, Banh bao uses fish sauce, whereas bao zi uses Chinese five-spice. Furthermore, Banh Baos are distinguished by incorporating Chinese sausage and quail eggs.

The original Banh Bao is a dish that every Vietnamese kid is familiar with when it comes to a breakfast of champions.

When I was a kid, I used to have frozen store-bought Baos steamed for us by my Aunt while I was getting ready for school.

Each bun was substantial enough to last the whole morning and was filled with a delectably meaty mince stuffing. If you grabbed it right out of the steamer, it was simply fantastic!

While these were a quick and simple way to begin a day, everything changed when we began preparing our own.

Homemade Banh Bao is nice and airy, with just enough grip to wrap around the meatball tightly.

The interior is springy and gushing porky flavors, and it’s delightfully moist. So when you chomp into a velvety quail egg and a delicious Chinese sausage slice, you’ll be transported back in time.

This Banh Bao dish may take a little longer than some others, but it is well worth the wait. When you pull them out from the steamer, and each bun is boiling hot with steam, you’ll understand what I mean.

The Vietnamese Banh Bao goes by several other names, including Steamed pork bun, Vietnamese pork bun, steamed meat buns, Vietnamese Bao, and Vietnamese steamed buns Banh bao.

If you like Vietnamese Banh Bao, you are definitely going to love this German stuffed Bierocks recipe!

Why is this recipe so successful?

• The dough has ample time to rest and perform its magic, resulting in a smooth, kneadable dough.
• Adding whole cream milk and lemon juice makes the bread whiter naturally.
• Incorporating water chestnuts into the stuffing gives the meatballs a hint of sweetness as well as a fantastic crunch.

Banh Bao FAQ

What does the term “banh bao” mean?

Banh bao translates to “wrapped cake.” It’s inspired by the Cantonese dim sum dai bao, which translates as “large bun.”

What are the ingredients in Vietnamese buns?

Vietnamese Banh bao is a flour-based pastry filled with minced pork, wood ear mushroom, and Chinese sausage.

What is the best way to eat Vietnamese Banh bao?

Banh bao is best when hot! The bun is usually presented on a platter and consumed with one hand, with no dipping sauces. Bite after bite; you consume it while holding it in your hands.

Is Banh bao the same as a dumpling?

It’s around the size of a Vietnamese dumpling.

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Ingredients

To Activate the Yeast

• 1/2 tsp instant yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

The Dough Ball

• 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 egg white
• 1/8 cup self-raising flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

The Stuffing

• 1/4 tsp oyster sauce
• 1/4 tsp salt (or to taste)
• 1/3 tsp fish sauce
• 1/3 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp chicken bouillon powder
• 1/2 tsp sugar (or to taste)
• 1 tsp rehydrated woodear mushroom (finely chopped)
• 1 tbsp spring onion (finely chopped)
• 1 tbsp fried onion
• 1 red shallot (finely chopped)
• 2 water chestnuts (finely chopped)
• 1/3 cup pork paste
• ½ cup pork mince
• 1/2 Chinese sausage sliced thin
• quail eggs (fresh or canned in Asian supermarkets)

Directions

Making the Bao

• In a mixing bowl, stir to combine the flour, yeast, and sugar, then add the water and milk. Mix it in thoroughly, then set it aside for 3 hours to allow the yeast to react.
• Keep in mind: Depending on your elevation/location, you might have to wait another 1-2 hours for it to cool. This is because the yeast will bloom faster in a warmer environment.
• Knead the resulting mixture with the leftover AP flour, self-rising flour, sugar, lemon juice, egg white, and oil until a homogeneous dough emerges.
• Cover the dough with a towel or happy wrap and set aside for 30 minutes.

The Stuffing

• Combine the pork mince and pork paste with the pepper, chicken bouillon powder, salt, sugar, oyster sauce, and fish sauce in a mixing bowl.
• Tip: Puree the contents with a pestle and mortar to achieve a finer consistency.
• Combine the wood ear mushroom, water chestnuts, shallots, fried onions, and spring onions in a large mixing bowl.
• Form a ball out of roughly 1/4 cup pork mixture, press it flat in your hand, and add a quail egg in the middle.
• Roll the dough around the quail egg to make a spherical, then place a slice of Chinese sausage on top.
• Put each completed one on a plate as you roll the rest. Depending on how much dough you used for each, you’ll get roughly six balls.

Putting the Baos Together

• Cut baking paper into 15 cm × 15 cm (6′′ x 6′′) squares.
• Roll the Banh Bao dough into balls by dividing it into equal parts. Then, to avoid drying, cover the finished balls with a towel while you work on the others.
• Then use a rolling pin or a smooth cup and compress each ball into a 20 cm (8′′) diameter circle.
• In the middle of the flat dough, insert a meatball.
• Fold the top and bottom portions of the Banh Bao dough over the meatball, pinching them together.
• Continue with the left and right sides of the rolled dough in the same manner.
• Press the points of each corner into the holes to make a heart shape. You’ll have four hearts at the end.
• Pinch the points of each heart to seal the holes.
• Pull one pinched tip to the middle, crimping it with the material in the center to make it stay. Rep with the remaining pinched ends.
• Seal the dough in the center with one last pinch.
• Put the bun covered in plastic wrap on a baking tray.
• Preheat the steamer and steam the baos for 30 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked.
• Note: Or steam the meatballs prior to wrapping them in the bao, then steam the entire bao for 10 minutes.
• Serve immediately, either plain or with a sprinkling of Siracha!

End Notes

• Don’t over-knead the dough for the Banh Bao. Instead, knead rapidly until everything comes together for a light and fluffy bao. A rough and hard bun will come from overstretching the dough.
• Set aside the dough to rest. Resting the dough (particularly after kneading) is crucial because it allows the gluten to release, making it simpler to roll and shape.
• The more fat in the pork, the tastier the flavor!
• For a whiter dough, we use whole cream milk, but you can use simply water instead.
• In the preserved ingredients aisle of Asian shops, you may get canned quail eggs and canned water chestnuts.

If you haven’t had the opportunity to celebrate Polish Fat Thursday or, as it is also known, Paczki Day, then you are missing out! Paczki are a type of Polish donut that only comes around once per year and are a must-have treat for those who love sweets. No worries, this Polish Paczki Recipe will allow you to have “Paczki Day” every day if you want to. 

What is Polish Paczki?

Polish Paczki is almost the same as donuts. They are made from fried dough and filled with different fruits or custard fillings. Then they are coated with sugar.

Paczki is made with a rich dough that contains yeast, eggs, sugar, and fats. So, they are thicker and heavier than regular donuts, which reflects its taste and texture.

You can fill your Packzi with your favorite fruit or cream fillings. You can glaze them or cover them with granulated sugar or powdered.

The most popular fillings in Poland are stewed plum jam and wild rosehip jelly, but you can also use other fillings such as cranberry, blueberry, strawberry, prune, or simply use custard.

Polish Paczki Recipe

Our Polish Paczki Recipe gives you all of the information you need to make these delicious treats.

I love to make them because they are so easy and you can make them in advance and freeze them.  Once you thaw them, you can stick them in the refrigerator and they will be ready to eat when your guests arrive.  So if you are looking for a tasty treat for Fat Thursday, these are a must! 

Preparation Time: 25 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 12 paczki

Ingredients

• Instant Yeast – 4 1/2 tsp
• Whole milk – 1 cup
• Egg yolks – 2
• Granulated White Sugar – ¼ cup
• Melted Butter – 2 tbsp
• Vanilla – ½ tsp
• Salt – ½ tsp
• All-purpose flour – 3 to 3 ½ cups
• Oil for frying
• White Granulated Sugar – For dusting after frying
• Jam or custard – for filling

Instructions

1. Prepare the Yeast Mixture:
   • Heat milk in a saucepan until it’s warm, not boiling.
   • In a bowl, dissolve yeast in lukewarm milk, add a cup of flour, and mix. Let it sit for 30 minutes until bubbly.
2. Make the Dough:
   • Beat egg yolks separately.
   • In the yeast mixture, stir in butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract. Add beaten egg yolks.
   • Gradually add flour, mixing until a soft, non-sticky dough forms.
   • Knead the dough on a countertop, form a ball, place it in a greased bowl, cover, and let it rise in a warm place for over an hour.
3. Shape and Proof Paczki:
   • Roll out the dough on a cutting board.
   • Cut out circles using a 3-inch cookie cutter and place them on a baking sheet.
   • Cover and let them rise for 30 minutes.
4. Cooking:
   • Heat oil in a frying pan to 360°F.
   • Fry paczki in batches (3 at a time) until golden on all sides.
   • Transfer to a cooling rack, dust with sugar, and allow to cool.
5. Filling:
   • Once cooled, make a small hole in each paczki.
   • Fill with jelly or custard using a pastry bag.

Air-Fryer Method

To adapt the Polish Paczki recipe for an air fryer, follow these steps after preparing the dough as per the recipe:

1. Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (175°C).
2. Place the prepared dough balls in the air fryer basket. Ensure they are not touching to allow even cooking.
3. Cook for about 5-6 minutes, then gently turn each paczki and continue cooking for another 5-6 minutes or until they are golden brown and cooked through.
4. Once done, remove from the air fryer and let them cool slightly.
5. Proceed with the coating or filling as per the original recipe instructions.

Tips & Tricks

• Paczki with granulated sugar dustings are perfect to go. I prefer the sugary crunches but you may try icing sugar and milk. You can enjoy it either way, they are delicious.
• Fresh paczki are perfect to eat on the same day but if you want, you can freeze them. No deep fryer is needed. If you are using a deep fryer then keep checking the temperature and stay careful. In case, the temperature is high, the Paczki will not cook from inside and if the temperature is low, it will absorb more oil.
• Coat granulated sugar when paczki are hot, so it sticks to the sugar. If you are using icing sugar, then let them cool more. It is because icing sugar may dissolve, so add before serving.
• Using a deep fryer and controlling the temperature is tiresome. It may create a mess.

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FAQs about Paczki

Is Paczki the same as a Donut?

The basic ingredients used in donuts are flour, eggs and milk. The closest to this recipe is a jelly donut, but this Polish Paczki is so much more.

Yeast is used along with butter and eggs in the making of paczki, so they are thicker and therefore, richer than regular donuts. 

When is Paczki eaten traditionally? 

In Poland, on the last Thursday before Lent, paczki are eaten. This tradition came to be in Poland because they want to use up all the ingredients, like sugar, eggs, and fruit, and enjoy good and a bit unhealthy food before the beginning of the fast. 

In America, they are available on Fat Tuesday. It is also enjoyed as a dessert among Polish folk who are keeping up with the tradition.

Which fruit filling is best for Paczki?

You can use any filling you like but are recommendations include lemon curd, strawberry jam, blueberry jam, sweet cream or plum jam.

Can I bake Paczki?

Yes, you may bake them but fried paczki are better in taste. Bake them at 350 F for 10 – 12 minutes.

Is it appropriate to freeze paczki?

If you want the best taste, eat them fresh. If you want to freeze them, use an airtight box lined with butter paper between layers. Storage life is three months. Before you serve them later, reheat them.

We hope you enjoyed the recipe. Please leave us a comment and let us know how you liked this Paczki recipe.

Conclusion

I hope you’ve liked this Polish Paczki recipe! You know I love making Polish recipes, so I highly recommend you try this Polish Cabbage Pierogi. Oh and if you have any questions or suggestions about this Paczki Recipe, feel free to comment down below. Thank you!

Brazilian Picanha Steak – This triangularly shaped steak that comes from the rump cap muscle is not very easy to grill to perfection at home. This doesn’t mean that it’s impossible, but you need to know a couple of tricks to get it right. We’ll look at one of the best steak recipes to make at home – the Picanha Steak recipe.

I had an enormous craving for Picanha Steak, which is a cut of meat from the beef rump cap muscle. It’s a cheap cut of meat, but the results are so worth it and offer a great value for the buck. I first had this meat cut at a Texas de Brazil restaurant.

They make the meat at the table and it just melts in your mouth. It’s absolutely delicious. If you have a craving for a good steak, I highly recommend you try this cut of meat. The best thing about this steak is that you can make it at home with just four ingredients.

What is Picanha?

Picanha is a Brazilian steak. It is one of the most popular cuts of meat in Brazil. Picanha is well known for its amazing flavor and tenderness. If you are looking for a new steak to add to your repertoire of cooking, Picanha is a perfect choice.

The name of the steak comes from the word Picão. The word Picão is used to describe a large meat tenderizer hammer. In Brazil, there is a technique used to make this cut of meat. It involves using a large meat tenderizer hammer to pound the meat.

This technique makes the meat tender and increases the flavor. It also has the added benefit of making the cut of meat easier to cook.

According to different studies, the cuts of this beef have a fat content of about 60%, which makes it one of the most appreciated in Brazil.

Because of its fat content, the Picanha is considered by many as the most delicate of the bovines and the one that gives more pleasure to the palate.

Brazilian Picanha Steak Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 pounds Picanha cut sirloin cap
• Black pepper (to taste)
• Rock salt (to taste)
• Oil for greasing the grill

Instructions

1. Prepare the Steak:
   • Place the Picanha with the fat side facing up.
   • Carefully score the fat in a cross-hatch pattern, being careful not to cut into the meat itself.
2. Seasoning:
   • Rub rock salt thoroughly into the scored fat.
   • Season with ground black pepper.
3. Cut and Skewer:
   • Cut the Picanha lengthwise into three equal parts.
   • Roll each piece into a ‘C’ shape.
   • Thread each piece onto metal skewers.
   • Sprinkle salt and pepper on the sides that are not yet seasoned.
4. Grilling:
   • Lightly oil the grill using a paper towel or brush.
   • Place the skewered steak on the grill.
   • Grill for about 15-20 minutes.
   • Rotate the skewers every 5-6 minutes for even cooking.
5. Check for Doneness:
   • Use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature of the steak.
   • For medium rare, remove the steak when it reaches 130 °F.
6. Rest and Serve:
   • Allow the steak to rest for 5-10 minutes after removing from the grill.
   • Remove the skewers.
   • Slice the steak and serve.

Note for Marinade (Optional):

• These steps can also be applied to marinate the Picanha before grilling. Simply prepare the marinade and let the meat absorb the flavors before proceeding with the grilling steps.

If you’re a fan of this Picanha Steak Recipe, pin the image below to your Pinterest board to spread the word! 😊📌

Why should you try Picanha Steak?

There are many reasons to love Brazilian food, especially Picanha. The Picanha steak is a traditional Brazilian dish and is very popular among Brazilian people. If you are a food lover, you have probably tried Picanha at least once in your life.

The Picanha steak is delicious, but it is also very healthy and it can be a good alternative to more unhealthy dishes.

Can I cook Picanha Steak on the stove?

If you don’t have a fire pit or a grill,  you can still cook Picanha on your stove. If you follow these easy steps, you’ll have Picanha steaks to rival the ones you’ve had in Brazil.

• We recommend using cast iron for good results.
• Season the Picanha with salt and pepper and melt the butter.
• Place skewered pieces in the pan – don’t overcrowd for even cooking.
• If the internal temperature of the steak reaches 130 °F, remove them from the pan.

What to serve with?

Although Picanha is a very popular cut of meat, not everybody knows how to serve it properly. The best way to serve Picanha is to leave the cut in its natural state, with all the fat and meat. The fat is where the flavor is, so it’s a must.

The traditional way to serve Picanha is to serve it like a roast accompanied by rice, beans, and farofa. Picanha is extremely flavorful, so it can be served as is without any additional seasoning.

In this article, we’ll go over how to prepare amazing Picanha steak, and we’ll also discuss two popular ways (on the grill and in a pan)  you can enjoy it. 

So, what are you waiting for? Put your apron on and start making the delicious Picanha Steak with us.

Tips & Tricks

• If your Picanha cut has been refrigerated, take it out and leave it at room temperature for at least 1 hour.
• Use rock salt for authentic recipe results. 
• Don’t forget to rest the steak after removing it from the grill. It will allow the juices to absorb in the meat and you will get a flavorful, tender, and juicy steak.
• Instead of pepper and salt, you can use any steak or beef seasoning on your Picanha cut.
• To make your steak more delicious, don’t forget to buy sirloin with the fat cap attached.
• If you can’t find the Picanha, you can use the sirloin flap, but it won’t be quite as tender or flavorful.
• The most important thing to remember when cooking a Picanha Steak is to pay attention to the heat of your grill. If you cook it on too high of heat, it will burn the outside and leave the inside medium-rare. The best way to cook a Picanha Steak is to slowly grill it on low heat until it reaches your desired temperature.
• You can also cook Picanha steak using a Blackstone griddle; check our tips on Blackstone recipes here.