How to Make Baozi

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for greasing the bowl and pan
3/4 cup warm water (105-115 degrees F)
Filling of your choice (ground pork, vegetables, etc.)

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the oil and warm water and stir until a dough forms. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 8-10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.

2. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Take one ball of dough at a time and roll it out into an oval shape about 1/8 inch thick on a lightly floured surface using your hands or a rolling pin. Place 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of each oval shape of dough then fold over one side to meet with the other side so that you have formed half circles with filling inside them. Press down around edges to seal them tightly then crimp down with your fingers or press down with tines of fork to make sure they are sealed properly so that no filling comes out during cooking process.

3. Grease an 8x8 inch baking pan with vegetable oil then arrange baozi in pan so that they are not touching each other but slightly overlapping each other if necessary (this will help them stay together during cooking process). Cover loosely with plastic wrap or damp towel again then let baozi rise for another 30 minutes at room temperature before cooking them in steamer basket over boiling water for 15-20 minutes until puffy and cooked through completely (you may need to do this in batches depending on size of steamer basket). Serve hot!