Xinjiang Baked Baozi
新疆烤包子
English: Xinjiang Baked Baozi
Chinese: 新疆烤包子
Pinyin： xinjiiang kao baozi
Literal: Xinjiang Baked Buns
At first glance, Urumqi looks like any other Chinese city – a maze of alleyways ducking under concrete overpasses, high-rises stacked like precarious Jenga towers, air-conditioned chain malls, and the familiar glow of mandarin neon. But step out of the car, and this unique city will shyly open up and offer a world of food.
The aroma of sizzling lamb fat mingled with the sweetness of ripe local Hami melons. Stores display mountains of dusty-orange apricots and green raisins on the pavements whilst street vendors hand-churn ice cream and ladle sticky rice topped with apricot jam, osmanthus flower syrup and cashews. In the bazaars, Uyghur bakers work their magic at massive tonur ovens – round clay caverns where naan breads and buns cling to the walls until they're retrieved with long metal hooks, creating towering walls of fresh-baked treasures.
Among these treasures is kao baozi (靠包子), 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.
Makes 8 buns
Ingredients
For the dough
300g flour
2 eggs - beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon oil
85g warm water
For the stuffing
250g lamb shoulder or leg
1 small red onion (180-200g) - diced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
½ tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
2 egg whites - beaten
2 tablespoons lard
To finish
2 egg yolks - beaten
1 teaspoons sesame seeds
Method
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.
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.
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.
Return the dough to the mixing bowl, cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap, and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 230°C (220°C for fan-assisted ovens) and line a baking tray with oiled parchment paper.
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. 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.
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).
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).
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).
Turn the bun over so the folded side is on the bottom. Place it on the prepared baking tray.
Repeat steps 5 through 10 with the remaining 7 pieces of dough.
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.
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.
