Sid Sahrawat’s Fried Chicken Bao

Name: Fried Chicken Bao
Prep time: 2 h
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h 20 min
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1 tsp dried instant yeast; 1 tsp salt; 1 cup warm water; 3 cups plain flour; 2 tbsp caster sugar; 1 tsp baking powder; 1/3 cup vegetable oil; 1 tsp rice wine vinegar; Mayonnaise or sriracha (to serve); 1 kg chicken thigh (boneless, skinless, cut into large pieces); 2 tbsp plain natural yoghurt; 50 g plain flour; 2 tbsp paprika; 1 tbsp salt; 50 g potato flour (or plain flour); 40 g cornflour; 1 tsp baking powder; 1 L canola oil (for frying); 1 cup water; 1/2 cup sugar; 1/2 cup white vinegar; 1 tsp salt; 1/2 continental cucumber (peeled and cut into ribbons with a peeler or mandolin); 1 medium carrot (finely sliced); 1 bunch radish (washed and sliced thinly)

Sid Sahrawatʼs Fried Chicken Bao recipe tastes incredible. See ingredients & method below.

This recipe makes a great family meal.

The homemade steamed bao buns are filled with crispy fried chicken thigh pieces and quick pickles. You can skip making the bao yourself if you wish to make things quicker, but the kids do enjoy making them. ... More

prep

cook

yield

difficulty

Pairs with

Chenin Blanc

Beer

Ingredients

Bao Buns

1 tsp dried instant yeast
1 tsp salt
1 cup warm water
3 cups plain flour
2 tbsp caster sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp rice wine vinegar
Mayonnaise or sriracha (to serve)

Fried Chicken

1 kg chicken thigh (boneless, skinless, cut into large pieces)
2 tbsp plain natural yoghurt
50 g plain flour
2 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp salt
50 g potato flour (or plain flour)
40 g cornflour
1 tsp baking powder
1 L canola oil (for frying)

Pickles

1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 tsp salt
1/2 continental cucumber (peeled and cut into ribbons with a peeler or mandolin)
1 medium carrot (finely sliced)
1 bunch radish (washed and sliced thinly)

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Method

Tips

Bao Buns

In a bowl, mix the yeast with the salt and warm water. Stand the bowl in a warm place for about 10 minutes until the mixture is frothy.
In another bowl, mix the flour, sugar and baking powder.
Add the liquid yeast mixture to the flour. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and the rice wine vinegar. Mix with a spatula until a dough forms.
Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes until the dough feels smooth.
Transfer the dough to rest in a greased bowl, then cover and set aside in a warm place for 1 hour or until it doubles in size.
Turn the dough out again onto a floured surface, divide it into 14 portions and place on a lined baking tray. Roll each into a triangle, brush with oil and, using an oiled chopstick, fold each triangle over it in half. Carefully remove the chopstick. Put folded bao back on the tray. Place it somewhere warm to allow the bao to double in size again.
Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Line a large steamer basket with baking paper. Place 6–8 bao in the basket at a time and steam for 8–10 minutes until they are puffed up and cooked. Keep cooked bao warm and continue until the rest are all steamed.

Fried Chicken

In a large bowl, toss chicken and yoghurt until combined.
In another bowl, combine the flour, paprika, salt, potato flour, cornflour and baking powder.
Heat the oil in a deep fryer, if you have one, or a large saucepan until hot.
Once the oil is hot, toss chicken pieces into the flour mixture until well coated then deep fry for about 10 minutes until crispy. You might have to fry the chicken in 2 batches. Watch that the oil doesn't get too hot or the chicken will burn.

Pickles

Heat the water in a medium saucepan over low heat until warmed and add the sugar, vinegar and salt. Heat until the sugar is dissolved.
Once the sugar is dissolved, remove the saucepan from the heat and add the cucumber, carrot and radish.
Cover with a lid and set aside for 30 minutes or until you are ready to assemble.

To Serve

To serve, prise open bao.
Slather each with mayonnaise (add some sriracha for the adults), then add fried chicken and pickles.

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Thank you. Your feedback has been sent successfully.

Have you tried this recipe?
We’d love to hear what you think

Sid Sahrawat’s Fried Chicken Bao

Sid Sahrawatʼs Fried Chicken Bao recipe tastes incredible. See ingredients & method below.

This recipe makes a great family meal.

prep

cook

yield

difficulty

Pairs with

Chenin Blanc

Beer

Ingredients

Bao Buns

1 tsp dried instant yeast
1 tsp salt
1 cup warm water
3 cups plain flour
2 tbsp caster sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp rice wine vinegar
Mayonnaise or sriracha (to serve)

Fried Chicken

1 kg chicken thigh (boneless, skinless, cut into large pieces)
2 tbsp plain natural yoghurt
50 g plain flour
2 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp salt
50 g potato flour (or plain flour)
40 g cornflour
1 tsp baking powder
1 L canola oil (for frying)

Pickles

1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 tsp salt
1/2 continental cucumber (peeled and cut into ribbons with a peeler or mandolin)
1 medium carrot (finely sliced)
1 bunch radish (washed and sliced thinly)

Method

Bao Buns

In a bowl, mix the yeast with the salt and warm water. Stand the bowl in a warm place for about 10 minutes until the mixture is frothy.
In another bowl, mix the flour, sugar and baking powder.
Add the liquid yeast mixture to the flour. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and the rice wine vinegar. Mix with a spatula until a dough forms.
Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes until the dough feels smooth.
Transfer the dough to rest in a greased bowl, then cover and set aside in a warm place for 1 hour or until it doubles in size.
Turn the dough out again onto a floured surface, divide it into 14 portions and place on a lined baking tray. Roll each into a triangle, brush with oil and, using an oiled chopstick, fold each triangle over it in half. Carefully remove the chopstick. Put folded bao back on the tray. Place it somewhere warm to allow the bao to double in size again.
Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Line a large steamer basket with baking paper. Place 6–8 bao in the basket at a time and steam for 8–10 minutes until they are puffed up and cooked. Keep cooked bao warm and continue until the rest are all steamed.

Fried Chicken

In a large bowl, toss chicken and yoghurt until combined.
In another bowl, combine the flour, paprika, salt, potato flour, cornflour and baking powder.
Heat the oil in a deep fryer, if you have one, or a large saucepan until hot.
Once the oil is hot, toss chicken pieces into the flour mixture until well coated then deep fry for about 10 minutes until crispy. You might have to fry the chicken in 2 batches. Watch that the oil doesn't get too hot or the chicken will burn.

Pickles

Heat the water in a medium saucepan over low heat until warmed and add the sugar, vinegar and salt. Heat until the sugar is dissolved.
Once the sugar is dissolved, remove the saucepan from the heat and add the cucumber, carrot and radish.
Cover with a lid and set aside for 30 minutes or until you are ready to assemble.

To Serve

To serve, prise open bao.
Slather each with mayonnaise (add some sriracha for the adults), then add fried chicken and pickles.

Tips

You can make the pickles ahead of time and store them in a mason jar.
If you don't have time to make your own you can readymade frozen baos. In New Zealand, we use Kungfood brand baos from the frozen aisle and just steam them according to packet instructions.