Culinary Challenge: Baozi

This month's challenge is a good one (we think)! We're talking Chinese steamed dumplings with the filling of your choice. The real challenge is the dough and steaming process, so we thought we'd leave it open to your hearts desires for what goes inside. The recipe comes from Simon Law's blog and is the most legit looking one I could find after a fair bit of looking around. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients

• 16 squares parchment paper, each 7cm by 7cm in area
• 350mL warm water
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• dash salt
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1.5 tablespoons oil
• 600g white bread flour

Directions

1. In a small bowl, mix the sugar and salt in the water, and then mix in the yeast. Let it rest for a while and it should smell active.
2. Add the oil to the mixture.
3. In a large bowl, add the flour and scoup out a hole in the centre. Add the liquids to the hole and gradually incorporate the flour.
4. Knead the dough until it forms into an elastic and smooth ball, which takes about 15 minutes. The dough should not stick to your hands, and be quite stretchy.
5. Roll out the dough into a tube that's about 5cm in diameter.
6. Slice the tube into 16 loafs.
   
7. Roll each loaf into a round, but try to keep the center slightly thicker than the edges.
8. Place rolled out rounds each on a square sheet of parchment paper and place stuffing in the center. Gather edges of the dough round together overtop the filling to create a pleated look (see: SaltySavorySweet for reference photos)
   
9. Let rest 20 minutes for the dumplings to rise. They won't rise much, but you just want the surface of the loaves to be puffy.
10. Arrange the dumplings in one or more bamboo steamers. They will expand more on their faces, so don't put loafs face-to-face, or they will stick together.
11. Place the bamboo steamers on top of hot boiling water. Cover, and steam over high heat for 15 minutes.
12. Remove the lid and remove the dumplings to a plate, before turning off the heat. You do not want water to condense on the buns.

Makes 16 dumplings. Serves 4 when eaten by themselves (and you'll want to do that when they come out of the steamer.)

Typical stuffings include pork or beef fillings for savory, and sweetened red been paste for sweet, but the world's your baozi!

Deadline: Monday, May 3rd.