Baozi

Baozi

Pumpkin bao
Alternative names	Bao, humbow, nunu, pau
Type	Filled steamed bread
Place of origin	China
Creator	Zhuge Liang
Variations	Dabao, xiaobao
Cookbook: Baozi  Media: Baozi

Baozi
Chinese	包子
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin  bāozi Yue: Cantonese Jyutping baau1 (包) Southern Min Hokkien POJ pau-á (包仔)

A baozi (Chinese:  包子) or simply known as bao, bau, humbow, nunu, bakpao (Hokkien), bausak, pow, pau or pao (Hakka) is a type of steamed, filled, bun or bread-like (i.e. made with yeast) item in various Chinese cuisines, as there is much variation as to the fillings and the preparations. In its bun-like aspect it is very similar to the traditional Chinese mantou. It can be filled with meat and/or vegetarian fillings. In Japanese, the dish is known as "paozu".

Two types are found in most parts of China and Indonesia: Dàbāo (大包, "big bun"), measuring about 10 cm across, served individually, and usually purchased for take-away. The other type, Xiǎobāo (小包, "small bun"), measure approximately 5 cm wide, and are most commonly eaten in restaurants, but may also be purchased for take-away. Each order consists of a steamer containing between three and ten pieces. A small ceramic dish is provided for vinegar or soy sauce, both of which are available in bottles at the table, along with chili and garlic paste.

History

According to legend, they were invented by the Chinese scholar and military strategist Zhuge Liang during the Three Kingdoms period (3rd century AD).^[1]

Types

Cha siu bao

Tianjin Goubuli

Shanghai Xiaolongbao

Tangbao in Yangzhou

Naihuangbao

Japanese variations

Making of baozi

English name	Chinese name Simplified / Traditional Pinyin	Other names	Description
Cha siu bao, Charsiu bau	叉烧包 / 叉燒包 chāshāobāo	manapua	filled with barbecue-flavoured char siu pork; typical of Cantonese cuisine (Guangdong province and Hong Kong)
Goubuli baozi	狗不理包子 gǒubùlǐ bāozi		a well known brand of meat-filled baozi considered characteristic of Tianjin, Northern China; its name literally means, "Baozi ignored by dogs"
Xiaolongbao	小笼包 / 小籠包 xiǎolóngbāo		a small, meat-filled baozi from Shanghai containing a juicy broth. Because it is succulent and prepared only with thin, partially leavened dough, it is sometimes considered different from other bao types, and more closely resembles a jiaozi (dumpling)
Shengjian mantou	生煎馒头 / 生煎饅頭 shēngjiān mántou		a small, meat-filled, fried baozi from Shanghai
Tangbaozi	汤包 / 湯包 tāngbāo		a large soup-filled baozi from Yangzhou drunk through a straw; in other areas of China, it is small in size with rich soup
Doushabao	豆沙包 dòushābāo	Hokkien: tāu-se-pau	filled with sweet bean paste
Lotus seed bun	莲蓉包 liánróngbāo		filled with sweetened lotus seed paste
Kaya-baozi			filled with Kaya, a popular jam made from coconut, eggs, and sometimes pandan in Malaysia and Singapore
Naihuangbao	奶黄包 / 奶黃包 nǎihuángbāo		filled with sweet yellow custard filling
Shāobāo	烧包 / 燒包 shāobāo	Spanish: siópao; Philippine: siyopaw	steamed, filled with either chicken, pork, shrimp or salted egg
Zhimabao	芝麻包 zhīmabāo		steamed, filled with a black sesame paste
Yacaibao (Beansprout-bao)	芽菜包 Yácàibāo		steamed, filled with a type of pickle, spices and possibly other vegetables or meat, common in Sichuan, China
Bah-pau	肉包 ròubāo	Hokkien: Bah-pau	filled with pork
Big Pau	大包 dàbāo		large buns filled with pork, eggs and other ingredients

Culture

In many Chinese cultures, these buns are a popular food, and widely available. While they can be eaten at any meal, baozi are often eaten for breakfast. They are also popular as a portable snack or meal.

The dish is has also become common place throughout various regions of South East Asia due to longstanding Chinese immigration.

• Due to the long history of Chinese overseas diaspora in Malaysia, the Malays have adopted these buns as their own. A particularly Malay form of the baozi (called pau in Malay) is filled with potato curry, chicken curry or beef curry that are similar to the fillings of Malay curry puffs. Some variants have a quail egg in the middle, in addition to the curry. Due to the Muslim beliefs of most Malays, these buns are halal and contain no pork. One can find Malay stalls selling the buns by the roadside, at pasar malams (night markets), highway rest stops, and pasar Ramadans (Ramadan food bazaars).

• Similarly, in Indonesia the dish has been adopted into Indonesian cuisine through the integration of Chinese culture. It has been adopted through the Hokkien name of "Bakpao". Excluding existing meat filling, local variants include: chocolate, sweet potato, and marmalade filling.

• In the Philippines, their version of Baozi is called Siopao brought by Chinese immigrants (Sangleys) prior to Spanish colonialism. A Filipino siopao filing contains Meatball, Philippine adobo, flaked tuna and pork, and sometimes chocolate and cheese.

• A similar concept is also present in Thailand as they are called salapao.

See also

• Bánh bao, the Vietnamese equivalent
• Buuz, the Mongolian equivalent
• Dampfnudel, the German equivalent
• Empanada
• Jiaozi
• Khinkali
• Kreplach
• List of buns
• List of steamed foods
• Manapua, the Hawaiian equivalent
• Mandu, the Korean equivalent
• manty/mantı (Turkic) Turkish, Persian, and Pukhtoon cuisines
• Mantou Chinese steamed bread without filling
• Momo, the Nepalese and Tibetan equivalent
• Nikuman (and Chūkaman), the Japanese variants
• Pao, the Malagasy equivalent
• Pirozhki
• Ravioli
• Wonton

Notes

1. See Etymology of "mantou"