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Sticky Beef Bao Buns with Cucumber, Carrot and Crispy Onions

Recipe by The Cozy Bowl Kitchen

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  • Total Time40 minutes
  • Yield6 filled bao buns (2 to 3 servings) 1x

Soft steamed bao buns filled with fast-seared sticky beef in a glossy soy and oyster glaze, then loaded with cold cucumber and carrot matchsticks, spring onions and crispy onions.

Ingredients

Scale

For the beef and marinade

  • 350 g beef rump, sirloin or bavette, sliced 3 to 4 mm thick across the grain
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine, or dry sherry
  • 2 tsp cornflour
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil

For the glaze

  • 2 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp runny honey
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 2 tbsp cold water

For cooking

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 15 g fresh ginger, finely grated

To assemble

  • 6 plain bao buns, frozen or chilled
  • 1/3 cucumber, cut into fine matchsticks and chilled
  • 1 medium carrot, cut into fine matchsticks and chilled
  • 3 spring onions, thinly sliced
  • 4 tbsp crispy fried onions
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
  • Chilli oil, to serve (optional)

Instructions

  1. Put the beef in the freezer for 15 minutes to firm up, then slice it 3 to 4 mm thick across the grain.
  2. Toss the sliced beef with the light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, cornflour and sesame oil until each slice is barely coated. Leave for 15 minutes at room temperature.
  3. Cut the cucumber and carrot into fine matchsticks, put them in a bowl and refrigerate until you assemble.
  4. Stir the glaze ingredients together in a small bowl and set it next to the hob. Have the garlic and ginger ready.
  5. Set up a steamer over simmering water and line it with baking paper. Steam the bao buns for 8 minutes from frozen, or 5 minutes from chilled, with the lid on. Do not lift the lid during steaming.
  6. Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan or wok over a high heat until a drop of water skitters and vanishes instantly. Add the vegetable oil, then the beef in a single layer. Leave undisturbed for 60 seconds, then turn and cook for a further 60 seconds. Cook in two batches if your pan is not large enough.
  7. Push the beef to one side, add the garlic and ginger to the space and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  8. Pour in the glaze mixture. It will bubble immediately. Toss everything together for 60 to 90 seconds until the sauce is glossy and clings to the beef, leaving a clear trail when you drag a spoon through the pan. Take the pan off the heat straight away.
  9. Open each steamed bun along its fold. Fill with 2 to 3 slices of beef and a little glaze, then add the chilled cucumber and carrot.
  10. Top with sliced spring onions, crispy fried onions and sesame seeds. Add chilli oil if you want heat, and serve immediately.

Notes

Make ahead: Cook the beef up to a day ahead, refrigerate, and reheat in a hot pan for 60 to 90 seconds with a teaspoon of water to loosen the glaze. Cut the vegetables the same day. Steam the buns to order.

The mistake to avoid: Do not crowd the pan when searing the beef. Overcrowded meat releases liquid and steams grey instead of browning. Two batches in a hot pan beats one batch in a full one every time.

Variations: Use 300 g chicken thigh strips cooked for 5 to 6 minutes, or 250 g raw king prawns seared 90 seconds a side. Add a teaspoon of chilli oil to the glaze for heat. Toss the carrot in rice vinegar and a pinch of sugar for 15 minutes for a quick pickle.

Equipment: A steamer with a lid, baking paper, a large frying pan or wok, a very sharp knife or julienne peeler, and small bowls for the toppings.

Allergen note: Always check the label of every ingredient you use, as recipes and allergen information can change. People with food allergies or intolerances must also consider cross-contamination.

Take particular care with the bao buns (wheat, sometimes milk), soy sauce (soya, wheat), oyster sauce (molluscs, wheat), Shaoxing wine (wheat, sulphites), crispy fried onions (often wheat flour), sesame oil and seeds (sesame) and honey. Allergen information must be confirmed by The Cozy Bowl before it is relied upon.

This is a home recipe inspired by a dish or flavour available at The Cozy Bowl. It is not the restaurant’s exact commercial recipe.

Find it online: https://thecozybowl.co.uk/sticky-beef-bao-buns/