I plan on attempting to make them myself at some point. But until then are there any local places that might sell them frozen and I just need to steam them? I wandered through Jia Ho Supermarket in Chinatown this afternoon and although they had frozen steamed buns none of them were folded bao. I find the search engine for HMart useless so I can’t tell if they carry them without an actual visit. Same for Super88.
TIA
If it’s a large supermarket, they have them in the refrigerator cases around where wonton wrappers and fresh noodles are.
I’ve purchased them from 99 Ranch a few months ago; it was in one of the shorter freezer cases.
Buttermilk biscuits in the tube is a good substitute.
Really? My experience is that refrigerated tube biscuits of any kind are pretty mediocre and significantly different from bao buns that have dual leaveners including yeast.
I admit that I have never thought of steaming a refrigerated biscuit. I do wonder if one folded the dough and then steamed it, would it remain pliable enough to reopen and insert a filling?
From. Chinese’s -American Women’s club cookbook, in the 70’s. Chinese Cooking Our Legacy…A fundraiser cookbook. There is another cookbook, Chinese Cooking Our Way.
I have used them, very sticky in the steamer, but same flavor as restaurant.
I’ve seen them in most Asian/Chinese markets, frozen. They work exactly as your post - just steam them when you’re ready to eat. Look in the buns/mantou section of the frozen foods. I’ve seen them at 99 Ranch, Kam Man, CMart, Ming’s…
Just a note that 99 Ranch seems to be in the midst of replacing some of those outdated refrigerators that they inherited from Hannafords when they signed the lease. So you’ll now see newer smaller or different refrigerators somewhat scattered around the store, holding the goods. The main aisles with frozen foods has some foods, but most have been emptied. The buns are usually in the last aisle facing the refrigerated fish, noodles, etc.
I bought some at the Burlington H-Mart a few months ago. On the right side as you’re facing the freezer section from the front of the store.
I’m 99% certain that I’ve also seen them on sayweee.com, which is an Asian grocery delivery service. (Looks a little bit sketchy and the name is certainly a headscratcher but I use it regularly and it’s legit.)
@Stiv they’re almost always there both fresh (refrigerated) and frozen.
My suggestion is to pull up a pic on your phone and ask someone to point you to it — that’s what I did last week for something.
