Gua bao (割包) is a popular street food found in Taiwan, and is often served with savory pieces of pork, along with fresh veggies. In honor of Thanksgiving season, I was brainstorming creative ideas on what to do with all of those turkey leftovers, and Ryan had the idea of filling these fluffy, chewy buns with roasted turkey instead of pork.
I mean let’s be honest, we’re all pretty tired of having turkey casserole, turkey soup, or even turkey salad after a turkey-forward Thanksgiving meal. The flavor starts to get tired, and simply isn’t well-masked by just throwing it into a soup or salad. That’s why these savory buns are the perfect vessel; bao buns offer their own sweet bread-y flavor, and when paired with turkey drizzled in my aromatic savory sauce and topped with pickled veggies, you’ll elevate the flavor profile of your boring turkey into something completely different than your family’s holiday buffet.
“The gua bao has been said to have its origins in Fujian (a Chinese province), where many Taiwanese people immigrated from. It is now a staple street food in Taiwan, and is often eaten during the Weiya Festival that occurs at the end of the year.”
– Juleeho
Turkey-Filled Bao Buns
Ingredients
For Bao Buns
- 1.75 cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 1.25 tbsp Sugar
- 1.25 tsp Active Dry Yeast
- 1.5 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 cup Warm Water
- 2.5 tbsp Unsweetened Almond Milk (or nut milk of choice)
For Aromatic Sauce
- 1 inch Fresh Ginger (grated)
- 1/2 tsp Chinese Five Spice Powder
- 1 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce (also called kecap manis; my favorite is from the ABC brand)
- 1/2 tbsp Brown Sugar (or honey)
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing Wine
- 2 cloves Garlic (chopped)
For Pickled Cucumbers
- 1/2 Japanese Cucumber (or 1-2 persian cucumbers)
- 1/4 cup Rice Vinegar
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Salt
- 4 tbsp Mirin
For Filling
- 1-2 cups Roasted Turkey (shredded; or frozen turkey breast (see cooking instructions))
- 1-2 Thai Chillies
- 1-2 Pink Radish (sliced thinly, or 1/4 daikon radish)
- 4-5 leaves Fresh Thai Basil
- 1 tbsp Crispy Fried Onion
Equipment
- Bamboo Steamer
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all bao bun ingredients. Using a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix on lough until a shaggy dough forms. Alternatively, mix by hand.
- Then, lay dough on a floured surface and knead until smooth. Place dough into a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit for up to 1-2 hours, until doubled in size.
- Roll out dough about 1/4" thick, and using a round cookie cutter or circular-shaped drinking glass, cut out circles to shape your bao. Stretch out slightly, then fold in half, lightly brushing the inside with vegetable oil to prevent the two sides from sticking together. Repeat this process until little to no dough remains.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a soft boil on medium to medium low heat. Line your bamboo steamers with parchment paper, and place folded bao buns inside. Then, fit bamboo steamers over top of your pot and cover to steam. Remove from heat after about 12-15 minutes or until dough is fluffy and springy to the touch.
- While bao is steaming, prepare your pickled cucumbers. Slice cucumbers as thinly as possible, and cover with rice vinegar, sugar, salt, and mirin. Stir until sugar and salt is dissolved. Let sit until you are ready to assemble your bao buns.
- Shred your roasted turkey and set aside. If you are not using turkey leftovers and you need to prepare the turkey, you may use frozen turkey breast, defrosted, and place it in the air fryer at 400 degrees for 12-16 minutes.
- Slice all topping ingredients as thinly as possible. Then, prepare your sauce. To make the sauce, combine all ingredients into a small bowl and whisk with a fork until well combined.
- To assemble your bao buns, gently open each bun (careful, as the inside may be hot from steaming) and fill each first with shredded turkey, then 2-3 slices of cucumber, radish, and remaining toppings. Sprinkle sauce over top or bao buns, or serve on the side.
Watch my video on how to make this recipe by clicking here.
