Sheng Jian Bao

Sheng Jian Bao is a traditional street food that is popular in the south of the Yangtze River. Because Shanghai people used to call “bao” as “mantou”, it is also called Sheng Jian Man Tou in Shanghai.

What is Sheng Jian Bao?

Sheng Jian Man Tou, Sheng Jian Bao, or Sheng Jian for short, is a kind of small, sautéed baozi (pan-fried pork bun) which is a forte of Shanghai. It is normally loaded up with pork and gelatin that melts into soup/fluid when cooked.

It has been one of the most widely recognized breakfast things in Shanghai since the mid-1900s.

Sheng Jian Bao Features

It is crispy, juicy, meaty and delicate. When you eat the Sheng Jian Bao, you can feel the meat, sauce, green onion and sesame all delicious flavors are kept in the mouth for a long time.

The bottom of the Shanghai Sheng Jian Bao was golden brown, and some sesame and shallots were sprinkled in the upper part. It smells fragrant and bites a mouthful of soup, which is very popular among Shanghainese.

The origin of Sheng Jian Bao:

According to legend, in the era of the Three Kingdoms, the monk of the shu monarch Liu Bei relied on the smart idea of the staff to successfully marry the Wu’s princess Sun Shangxiang. The process was extremely dangerous.

To commemorate this matter, the people in the Wu’s palace used good flour, fine fillings, and invented the Sheng Jian Bao through the cumbersome process, and received the appreciation of the Queen Mother Wu. Later, the descendants of her family spread it.

Two hundred years ago in 1751, according to historical records that the Emperor Qianlong was very fond of the first time he was eaten in Shanghai and brought it back to the Beijing Imperial Palace.

More than 100 years ago, Sheng Jian Bao is sold as a tea snack in Shanghai’s teahouses. Later, when people did not taste tea, they also wanted to eat Sheng Jian Bao instead of dinner. In line with people’s dietary needs, it has become a street snack, and the size of Sheng Jian Bao also becomes large to cater to the needs of customers.

Sheng Jian Bao Recipe:

You’ll need:

Vegetable oil
1 green onion, chopped
1 tablespoon cooked black sesame
For the skin:
180g Medium-gluten flour
1/2 teaspoon yeast powder
1 teaspoon sugar
95g clear water
For the filling
125g Pork filling
1 chive, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chicken essence
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons chicken soup
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
For the bottom skin
1/2 teaspoon Corn flour
1/2 teaspoon flour
100g clear water

How to make Sheng Jian Bao:

How to make the Sheng Jian Bao skin:

1. Mix yeast powder, sugar and clear water in a bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes.

2. Add the flour in a large bowl. Slowly pour the yeast water into the flour and mix them with a spoon.

3. Place the dough on the working surface and knead it until the surface becomes smooth. Then wrap it in plastic wrap and ferment it to 2 times larger.

4. Sprinkle some flour on the working surface. Knead the dough on the working surface and squeeze the air out of the dough. Roll the dough into a long strip.

5. Divide the top view into 14 small doughs, and then press the dough flat by hand and smashed the doughs with a rolling pin.

How to make the filling:

1. Mix the pork filling, salt, chicken essence，light soy sauce and black pepper in a bowl. Add a small amount of chicken soup in portions and mix the filling evenly in one direction. Set aside.

2. Add the chives and sesame oil in the filling and mix them well.

Make and shape the Sheng Jian Bao

1. Place about 1 tablespoon of pork filling in the center of the wrapper and wrap the dough around the pork, pleat and pinch the opening closed. Make sure to pinch the mouth closed so the pork doesn’t fall out.
2. Wrapping all the Sheng Jian Bao and set them aside for 10 minutes.

Fried Sheng Jian Bao

1. Mix the bottom skin ingredients in a bowl evenly to make the four water. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Fry the buns until the bottom becomes lightly golden.

2. Pour the flour-water evenly around the buns. Cover the lid and cook over high heat until the water is almost dry. Sprinkle the green onion and black sesame on it and continue to cook it under small heat until the water dry.

3. Transfer the Sheng Jian Bao on a large plate and serve.

Sheng Jian Bao

Sheng Jian Bao is a traditional street food that is popular in the south of the Yangtze River.

5 from 5 votes

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Prep Time 2 hours hrs

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Course Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine Chinese

Servings 14

Calories 125 kcal

Ingredients

  

• Vegetable oil
• 1 green onion chopped
• 1 tablespoon cooked black sesame

For the skin:

• 180g Medium-gluten flour
• 1/2 teaspoon yeast powder
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 95g clear water

For the filling

• 125g Pork filling
• 1 chive chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon chicken essence
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chicken soup
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

For the bottom skin

• 1/2 teaspoon Corn flour
• 1/2 teaspoon flour
• 100g clear water

Instructions

 

• Mix yeast powder, sugar and clear water in a bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes.
• Add the flour in a large bowl. Slowly pour the yeast water into the flour and mix them with a spoon.
• Place the dough on the working surface and knead it until the surface becomes smooth. Then wrap it in plastic wrap and ferment it to 2 times larger.
• Sprinkle some flour on the working surface. Knead the dough on the working surface and squeeze the air out of the dough. Roll the dough into a long strip.
• Divide the top view into 14 small doughs, and then press the dough flat by hand and smashed the doughs with a rolling pin.

HOW TO MAKE THE FILLING:

• Mix the pork filling, salt, chicken essence，light soy sauce and black pepper in a bowl. Add a small amount of chicken soup in portions and mix the filling evenly in one direction. Set aside.
• Add the chives and sesame oil in the filling and mix them well.

MAKE AND SHAPE THE SHENG JIAN BAO

• Place about 1 tablespoon of pork filling in the center of the wrapper and wrap the dough around the pork, pleat and pinch the opening closed. Make sure to pinch the mouth closed so the pork doesn’t fall out.
• Wrapping all the Sheng Jian Bao and set them aside for 10 minutes.

FRIED SHENG JIAN BAO

• Mix the bottom skin ingredients in a bowl evenly to make the four water. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Fry the buns until the bottom becomes lightly golden.
• Pour the flour-water evenly around the buns. Cover the lid and cook over high heat until the water is almost dry. Sprinkle the green onion and black sesame on it and continue to cook it under small heat until the water dry.
• Transfer the Sheng Jian Bao on a large plate and serve.

Keyword Sheng Jian Bao