Go Back
+ servings

No-Yeast Gluten-Free Steamed Buns

No yeast, no gluten, no fuss—these chewy bao are packed with savory filling and made with glutinous rice flour. Perfect for a comforting meal or snack.
Course Breakfast
Cuisine Chinese
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 5
Calories 383kcal

Ingredients

Dough:

  • 250 g glutinous rice flour
  • 125 g rice flour
  • 200 –250ml water add gradually and adjust as needed

Filling:

  • 500 g white radish 1 root, peeled and grated
  • 150 g pork 30% fat, 70% lean, diced separately
  • 5 dried shiitake mushrooms soaked and diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 30 g Chinese leek can substitute green onion
  • 2 tablespoons papery dried shrimp
  • chopped scallions to taste (added at the end)

Seasoning:

  • 10 g salt for salting radish
  • 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • white pepper to taste (optional)
  • cooking oil as needed

Instructions

Prep the radish and pork:

  • Peel and grate the white radish, place it in a large bowl, sprinkle with 10g salt, and mix evenly. Let sit for 5–8 minutes to draw out moisture. Wearing gloves or using a cloth, squeeze out the liquid from the radish thoroughly and set aside.
  • Separate pork fat and lean meat, dice both.
  • Finely chop the Chinese leek.

Cook the filling:

  • In a pan, add a bit of oil and cook fatty pork over low heat until it renders and turns golden. Add lean pork and stir-fry until it changes color. Add shiitake mushrooms, garlic, and sauté until fragrant. Pour in soy sauces and oyster sauce, mixing well.
  • Add leek, radish, and dried shrimp, toss together quickly. Let cool (you can refrigerate to speed this up).

Make the dough (critical step!):

  • Combine glutinous rice flourand rice flour in a large bowl. Gradually pour in water while stirring with chopsticks until clumpy. Knead into a rough dough (adjust water as needed—final dough should be soft, pliable, not sticky).
  • Take 1/4 of the dough, roll into a ball, and boil until it floats and turns translucent (~2 minutes). Add it back to the main dough and knead while still hot until fully incorporated and smooth.

Shape the bao:

  • Divide the dough into 60g portions. Roll each into a ball, press a deep dent in the center with your thumb, and thin the edges to form a small bowl shape.
  • Fill with cooled filling, press down to remove air pockets, and seal the top by pinching or rounding—shape them round, flat, or dumpling-style.

Steam:

  • Line each bao with parchment paper and place with 2cm spacing in a steamer. Bring water to a boil, then steam for 12 minutes(adjust time for size). Finished bao should appear glossy and slightly translucent on the surface.

Nutrition

Calories: 383kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 1314mg | Potassium: 410mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 1mg