Karaage chicken bao

The contrast that sells the dish: extra-fluffy bao, extra-crispy karaage and a spicy, tangy mayo.

30 min9 ingredients 5 steps
Bao cu pui karaage
Bao Buns — 6 buc pe farfurie

Instructions

  1. Marinate the salad ⏱ 10 min

    Toss the cabbage and carrot with the rice vinegar and sugar. Massage very lightly and let the slaw marinate, then drain off the excess liquid.

  2. Make the spicy mayo

    Mix the Kewpie mayo with the sriracha. Taste and adjust the heat with a little more sauce, if you like.

  3. Heat the karaage ⏱ 4 min

    Fry the Karaage Chicken at 180°C until the crust is crispy and the center reaches at least 74°C. Drain it briefly on a rack.

  4. Steam the bao ⏱ 5 min

    Arrange the Bao Buns in a steamer basket lined with perforated paper. Steam them until completely soft and fluffy.

  5. Plate up

    Open each bao, add the well-drained salad, the Karaage Chicken and spicy mayo. Scatter spring onions and serve immediately.

Good to know

Don't fill the buns in advance, because steam and sauce soften the crust. If the karaage pieces are large, cut them after cooking, not before. You can prepare the salad and sauce a few hours ahead, in the fridge.

Frequently asked questions

How do you heat frozen bao buns?

By steaming, straight from frozen: a steamer basket lined with perforated paper, about 5 minutes, until completely soft and fluffy. Steam is the only method that keeps their cloud-like texture.

Can you make bao without a steamer basket?

Yes, improvise: a metal sieve or colander set over a pot of boiling water, with a lid on top. What matters is that the buns sit in steam, not in water.

At what temperature do you heat karaage chicken?

At 180°C, until the crust is crispy and the center reaches at least 74°C. Then drain it briefly on a rack, not on paper towels, so it stays crunchy. Cut large pieces after cooking, not before.

Why do bao buns go soggy when filled?

Because they were filled ahead of time: steam from the chicken and the sauce soften the crumb. Assemble the bao last, with the slaw well drained, and serve immediately.

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9 ingredients 5 steps ~30 min