Sugar Shrimp Bao

EntreeSeafood

Jul 17

Written By Amelia

The original concept of this recipe was something that my mom used to make back in the day. She found the recipe on the back of a Land-o-Lakes Butter box and it was originally sugar spiced shrimp with a slaw in taco form (original recipe here). I thought it was SO GOOD- the shrimp basically becomes candy in the oven with a slight crunch, I was obsessed.

I reimagined it as a bao filling: brown sugar, garlic, and cayenne shrimp, quick-pickled cucumbers, and a creamy lime-ginger sauce. I also made some homemade bao that I ended up being pretty proud of. Enjoy this recipe, it is AMAZING!

Sugar Shrimp Bao

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Ingredients

Bao Buns (makes 40-50 buns)

1½ cups warm whole milk (110°F)
2 tablespoons active dry yeast
½ cup (8 Tbsp) sugar
1/3 cup softened lard
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt

Sugar Shrimp

1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup melted butter
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon panko breadcrumbs
1½ teaspoons flour
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Pickled Cucumbers

2 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1½ tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon chili crisp oil

Ginger Lime Sauce

1/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup sour cream
Juice of 1 lime (1½ tablespoons)
Zest of 1 lime
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon honey
Pinch of salt

Instructions

Bao Buns

I suggest that you make this whole batch, steam them, let them cool completely, and then freeze whatever you don't use.
Cut 40-50 4 inch squares of parchment paper
In a bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Let sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy.
In a large bowl or stand mixer, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the yeast mixture and the softened lard. Mix until a shaggy dough forms, then knead: 4–5 minutes in a stand mixer, or 8–10 minutes by hand, until the dough is smooth, soft, and elastic. Dough should be slightly tacky but not sticky. If needed, dust with a small amount of flour.
Form the dough into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Let rise in a warm spot for 1½ to 2 hours, or until tripled in size.
Roll dough out to ¼-inch thickness. Use a 3½-inch round cutter to cut out as many circles as possible.
👉 Dough scraps: Gently gather the remaining dough into a ball (do not knead). Cover and let it rest for 10–15 minutesto relax the gluten. Then roll out and cut again. Avoid re-rolling more than once for best texture.
Brush one half of each dough circle lightly with oil. Fold in half to create a half-moon shape and gently press the edge with your fingers. Place each bun on a square of parchment.
Cover the shaped buns with plastic wrap or dampened towel and let them rest for 30–45 minutes in a warm place until puffed and airy.
Bring water to a boil in a steamer pot. Steam buns over medium-high heat for 13 minutes. Once done, turn off the heat and let the buns sit for 5 minutes with the lid slightly cracked to prevent collapsing.
Reheating Notes: Steamed buns can be stored in the fridge and re-steamed the next day — mine were fluffier and ofter upon reheating. I also cooled them completely, and then froze. To reheat frozen I put them in the steamer (frozen) and steamed for about 8 minutes and left the lid cracked for about 5 minutes and they were perfect!

Sugar Shrimp

Preheat oven to 475°F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment.
Mix the dry coating in a bowl.
Pat shrimp dry. Dip each in butter, then coat in the sugar-spice mixture.
Place on baking sheet and bake 6–8 minutes until pink and coating is bubbling and caramelized.
Broil for 1–2 minutes for more crisp, if desired (be careful- it will burn quickly!)

Pickled Cucumbers