Matcha Bao with Vegetables in Steamed Buns

A bao fresh from the steamer pulls apart between your fingers to reveal its mushroom and cabbage filling. Here, matcha goes into the risen dough around vegetables without broth.

The batch makes eight bao with about 4 tsp (8 g) matcha. Allow 2 hours 30 minutes, including two rises, then twelve minutes of steaming.

• Prep 30 minutes
• Cook 25 minutes
• First rise 1 hour
• Second rise 20 minutes
• Cool 15 minutes
• Total 2 hours 30 minutes
• Yield 8 bao
• Equipment large bowl, spatula, knife, board, skillet, saucepan, two-tier 12-inch (30 cm) steamer basket with a lid, parchment paper, and clean towel

The filling must be cooked and cooled before shaping; it can wait during the first rise. Depending on your time, our savory matcha recipes range from dressing to a complete dish.

Ingredients for matcha bao

• 8.8 oz (250 g) wheat flour
• About 1 3/4 tsp (5 g) instant baker's yeast
• About 4 tsp (8 g) matcha
• 0.5 oz (15 g) sugar
• About 1/2 tsp (3 g) salt
• About 1/2 cup (130 ml) warm water at about 95°F (35°C)
• About 2 cups (500 ml) water for steaming
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) neutral oil, for the dough
• 7 oz (200 g) sliced mushrooms
• 3.5 oz (100 g) finely sliced cabbage
• 4 tsp (20 ml) soy sauce
• 2 tsp (10 ml) sesame oil, for the filling
• about 1 3/4 tbsp (10 g) grated ginger

How to make matcha bao

1. Heat the 1/2 cup (130 ml) water for the dough to about 95°F (35°C).
2. Mix the 8.8 oz (250 g) flour, about 1 3/4 tsp (5 g) yeast, and about 4 tsp (8 g) matcha in the large bowl.
3. Add the 0.5 oz (15 g) sugar and about 1/2 tsp (3 g) salt.
4. Pour in the 1/2 cup (130 ml) warm water at about 95°F (35°C).
5. Add the 1 tbsp (15 ml) neutral oil.
6. Knead the dough for 8 minutes, until supple.
7. Cover the bowl with the clean towel.
8. Let the dough rise for 1 hour, until it has increased noticeably in volume.
9. Heat the 2 tsp (10 ml) sesame oil in the skillet.
10. Cook the 7 oz (200 g) sliced mushrooms over medium heat for 5 minutes.
11. Add the 3.5 oz (100 g) finely sliced cabbage.
12. Cook for another 3 minutes.
13. Stir in the 4 tsp (20 ml) soy sauce and about 1 3/4 tbsp (10 g) grated ginger.
14. Let the filling cool for 10 minutes.
15. Divide the risen dough into eight pieces.
16. Flatten each piece into a disc about 4 inches (10 cm) across.
17. Divide the filling into eight portions.
18. Put one portion in the center of each disc.
19. Lift the edges of each disc around its filling.
20. Pinch the edges to close each bao.
21. Place four bao on parchment squares in each tier of the two-tier 12-inch (30 cm) steamer basket.
22. Let them rise for another 20 minutes under the lid, with the basket off the heat.
23. Pour about 2 cups (500 ml) water for steaming into the saucepan.
24. Bring the water to a simmer for about 5 minutes.
25. Set the steamer basket over the saucepan.
26. Steam for 12 minutes.
27. Let the bao cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Before closing the bao, let the filling cool, as you would for matcha ravioli. Filling that's still wet would soften the dough under your fingers; if it releases a lot of water, cook it a little longer in the skillet. Here we keep a filled steamed bun without broth inside.

Which matcha goes into steamed bao dough?

For this savory steamed dough, we choose Matcha Essence powder: about 4 tsp (8 g) colors and flavors the eight bao without taking over from the cabbage, mushrooms, and ginger.

Matcha bao or xiao long bao: what's the difference?

The dough of these bao is risen and thick around vegetables without broth. Shanghai's xiao long bao hold broth inside a thinner wrapper. A few grams of matcha don't change this difference in dough and filling.

Our tip. Leave space between the bao in the basket. The second rise and steam make them larger; buns that stick together tear when served.

Allergens. Wheat, soy, and sesame.