Xinjiang Baked Baozi (新疆烤包子)
Xinjiang Baked Baozi (新疆烤包子), a beloved Xinjiang specialty. These lamb-stuffed pastries are deceptively simple – just lamb, onion, cumin, and black pepper, sometimes brightened with a touch of sour yogurt – but they're crafted with care. The filling is wrapped snugly in dough, brushed with egg, and baked until the lamb fat melts while keeping the precious juices locked inside. These satisfying packets once sustained traders along the Silk Road, and today they're still the perfect companion for a long day exploring Urumqi. Note: You can make the stuffing the day before. This will save quite a bit of time as well as allowing the meat to marinate and tenderise.
Ingredients
- 85 gramWarm Water
- 300 gramall purpose flour
- 2 eggsEggs, Beaten
- 5 mLSalt
- 15 mLOil
- 30 mLLard
- 200 gramRed Onion, Finely Diced
- 0 tablespoonSalt
- 250 gramLamb Shoulder or Leg
- 15 mLGround Cumin
- 15 mLGround Black Peppercorn
- 2 eggsEgg Whites, Beaten
- 2 eggsEgg Yolks, Beaten
- 5 mLToasted Sesame Seeds
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the stuffing ahead of time. First, dice the lamb into small cubes (approximately 1cm). Add the lamb to a mixing bowl, then add the diced onion. Mix in the cumin, salt, and black pepper. Crack the eggs and separate the yolks from the whites. Add the egg whites to the mixture and save the yolks for later. Mix everything thoroughly, cover the bowl, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Longer marinating time will allow the flavors to infuse and the meat to soften.
- 2
In a separate mixing bowl, combine the flour, eggs, salt, oil, and warm water. Use chopsticks to bring the mixture together initially. Once you have a rough dough, transfer it to a floured surface and knead until smooth and no longer sticky to the touch. This will take about 10 minutes. Alternatively, use a KitchenAid mixer with a dough hook attachment for about 8 minutes.
- 3
Return the dough to the mixing bowl, cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap, and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
- 4
Preheat the oven to 230°C (220°C for fan-assisted ovens) and line a baking tray with oiled parchment paper.
- 5
Remove the stuffing from the refrigerator and drain off most of the liquid from the marinade. Place the dough onto a floured surface and divide it into 8 equal pieces. Cover the pieces with plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out.
- 6
Take one piece of dough and roll it into a square approximately 8cm × 8cm. The easiest method is to roll it into a long rectangle first, then fold it over to form a square. Keep rolling. Aim to roll the edges thinner than the center, which should be about 2-3mm thick. This is because once folded, the sides will overlap, and the base will become thicker.
- 7
Once rolled, place about two tablespoons of the lamb stuffing in the center. Add two pea-sized portions of lard on top of the lamb (see picture 4 below).
- 8
Next, fold the bun. The technique is to fold each edge over the stuffing to create an envelope-like shape. Keep a small bowl of water nearby to help seal the edges.Take one edge and fold it over the stuffing to cover just over half. Dip your finger in water and run it along the opposite edge. Lift this edge and fold it over, pressing down on the moistened edge to seal (see picture 5 below).
- 9
Continue folding by wetting one adjacent side, then folding it over the stuffing. Repeat with the opposite side until the stuffing is securely enclosed in the dough envelope (see picture 6 below).
- 10
Turn the bun over so the folded side is on the bottom. Place it on the prepared baking tray.
- 11
Repeat steps 5 through 10 with the remaining 7 pieces of dough.
- 12
Once all the buns are on the baking tray, brush the tops and sides liberally with the reserved egg yolks, then sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- 13
Bake the buns in the preheated oven for 25 minutes until they reach a bright golden brown color. Remove from the oven and serve while still hot.