The two key things to rolling out the dough are, 1) don't make it too big, and 2) make a flattened corona around the edge to made the center thicker in order to prevent leakage.
Fr. Ian Delinger
3 of 16 — PWF - Bao 03.jpg
Trent's perfectly wrapped bao makes it look so easy!
Fr. Ian Delinger
4 of 16 — PWF - Bao 04.jpg
Fr. Ian's didn't look the prettiest.
Fr. Ian Delinger
5 of 16 — PWF - Bao 05.jpg
The bao are steamed and ready to eat! Guess which one is Fr. Ian's.
Fr. Ian Delinger
6 of 16 — PWF - Bao 06.jpg
Trent mixes and works the dough before letting it rest and then shaping it into 60g dough balls to be rolled out and wrapped up.
Fr. Ian Delinger
7 of 16 — PWF - Bao 07.jpg
Time to let the bao cook in a steamer
Fr. Ian Delinger
8 of 16 — PWF - Bao 08.jpg
The insides of a Philly Cheesesteak Bao. Delicious!
Fr. Ian Delinger
9 of 16 — PWF - Bao 09.jpg
Chenda's Cambodian Bao that she brought to dinner at Fr. Ian's that very same night. Delicious!
Fr. Ian Delinger
10 of 16 — PWF - Bao 10.jpg
Fr. Ian made Mac & Cheese Bao, which Trent and Mike enjoyed.
Fr. Ian Delinger
11 of 16 — PWF - Bao 11.jpg
Fr. Ian's attempt at bao in 2019
Fr. Ian Delinger
12 of 16 — PWF - Bao 12.jpg
The end result of Fr. Ian's attempt at bao in 2019
Fr. Ian Delinger
13 of 16 — PWF - Bao 13.jpg
Fr. Ian's 2021 attempt at bao
Fr. Ian Delinger
14 of 16 — PWF - Bao 14.jpg
Fr. Ian's baked bao for Lunar New Year 2021
Fr. Ian Delinger
15 of 16 — PWF - Bao 15.jpg
Fr. Ian's 2021 Lunar New Year spread, including both steamed and baked bao.
Fr. Ian Delinger
16 of 16 — PWF - Bao 16.jpg
Fr. Ian's attempt at bao for Lunar New Year 2024. He over-crowded them, and they stuck together.
Fr. Ian Delinger
Bao simply means “stuffed bun”. The pillowy white buns hold precious filling! They are super delicious, but they are a pain to make. So, Playing With Food went to SLO Public Market to learn the tricks of the trade.
Fr. Ian Delinger hosts "Playing with Food," a monthly segment on "Issues and Ideas" that explores unique ways of looking at and preparing everyday foods on the California Central Coast.