The filling here was inspired by a Thai-Mexican fusion burrito I once had in Montana that threw me for a loop. A creamy Thai curry sauce with peanut butter–coated savory cubes of chicken was neatly wrapped up into a savory tortilla. I’ve recreated the insanely tasty filling here, but tuck it into little flat bao buns to create small fluffy bao bun tacos. To contrast with the creamy filling and soft buns, I sprinkle raw cabbage and green onion bits on top, adding a satisfying crunch to each bite. • makes 16 bao tacos
Bao Buns
Tangy Chicken-Peanut Filling
For the bao buns, in a small bowl, stir together the water and sugar until dissolved. Add the yeast and let rest for 15 minutes.
Sift the flour into a large bowl and add the yeast mixture, olive oil, baking powder, and onion powder. Stir to combine. Add more water if the dough is too dry and won’t come together. If the dough seems too moist and tacky, add a bit more flour. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until soft and relatively smooth, 10 to 15 minutes.
Lightly brush the bottom of a clean empty bowl with olive oil and place the dough in the bowl. Cover, place out of direct sunlight, and let rise until the dough has roughly tripled in volume, 2 to 3 hours.
Knead the dough until smooth, about 5 minutes. Roll into a 3-inch-wide cylinder. Lightly grease a knife with vegetable oil and cut a ½-inch-thick slice of dough. Pat it between your hands to flatten slightly and compress any air bubbles. Place the round in a bamboo steamer lined with parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining dough to make about 16 rounds. Use a small knife to poke holes through the parchment paper around the rounds to allow the steam to come up through the slats. Steam until the buns are cooked through, about 15 minutes. Set aside.
For the filling, in a medium bowl, mix together the lime juice, brown sugar, sesame oil, soy sauce, fish sauce, chili garlic sauce, and ginger.
Cut the chicken into ½-inch thick by 3-inch long pieces. Heat the canola oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is white on the outside and nearly cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the lime juice mixture and peanut butter and stir to combine. Simmer until the sauce has thickened and the chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Place a spoonful of the chicken filling in the center of a bao bun. Top with about 1 tablespoon shredded cabbage and a generous pinch of green onions. Fold the sides up slightly as you would a taco and serve immediately.