Medium 190 min serves 12

Mei Gan Cai Baozi (Preserved Mustard Green Buns)

Name: Mei Gan Cai Baozi (Preserved Mustard Green Buns)
Total time: 190 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Zhejiang
Ingredients: all-purpose flour; warm water (35°C); active dry yeast; caster sugar; mei gan cai (dried preserved mustard greens); pork belly, 1 cm dice; fresh ginger, minced; scallions, finely sliced; light soy sauce; dark soy sauce; Shaoxing wine; toasted sesame oil

梅干菜包 · méi gān cài bāo

家庭快手版 · Home version: Home buns use a little sugar to round off the sour edge of the preserved greens and add diced pork belly for fat. Shaoxing shop versions are leaner and far saltier, and the greens are chopped almost to a paste so the filling packs hard and dark.

Mei gan cai is napa cabbage mustard that has been salted, sun-dried and left to go almost black in a crock. It is Shaoxing in a jar — smoky, sour and sweet all at once — and it exists to be cooked with pork fat, which is why the baozi is the dish people actually buy. Soaking is not optional: dry, it is leather; soaked, it turns silky and doubles in weight.

Recipe author: HǎoWèi Test Kitchen

Home-cooking research team

Reviewed by HǎoWèi editorial team · Last updated 2026-08-29

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Ingredients

all-purpose flour中筋面粉🛒 local500 g
warm water (35°C)温水（35°C）🛒 local265 ml
active dry yeast干酵母🛒 local5 g
caster sugar细砂糖🛒 local25 g
mei gan cai (dried preserved mustard greens)梅干菜🏮 asian80 g
pork belly, 1 cm dice五花肉（切1厘米丁）🛒 local250 g
fresh ginger, minced生姜（切末）🛒 local15 g
scallions, finely sliced小葱（切细）🛒 local40 g
light soy sauce生抽🏮 asian20 ml
dark soy sauce老抽🏮 asian10 ml
Shaoxing wine绍兴黄酒🏮 asian15 ml
toasted sesame oil香油🏮 asian20 ml

mei gan cai (dried preserved mustard greens): Sold in Asian groceries in plastic bags; very sandy, wash in three changes of water

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Instructions

1Rinse the mei gan cai in three changes of cold water, then soak it in warm water 40 minutes until soft. Squeeze dry and chop finely.
洗泡梅干菜
🔍 Look for 泡40分钟 · 40 minutes soaking
Visual: 梅干菜涨发到约两倍大，颜色由近黑转为深褐；切碎时散发出烟熏的酸甜香Greens have swollen to roughly double and gone from near-black to dark brown; chopping them releases a smoky, sweet-sour smell
You know it's right when: A stem snaps instead of bending when you fold it
2Render the pork belly dice in a dry pan over medium-low 8 minutes until the fat runs clear and the pieces are gilded. Add ginger and scallion and fry 1 minute.
煸五花肉
🔍 Look for Medium-low 9 分钟 · 9 minutes
Visual: 锅底积起一层清亮猪油，肉丁边缘结出琥珀色的焦边A clear pool of fat has collected and the meat cubes have crisp amber edges
You know it's right when: The sizzle drops to a soft murmur and the fat no longer spits
3Add the chopped greens, both soy sauces, wine and sugar. Fry over medium 5 minutes, splash in 100 ml water, cover and simmer 15 minutes until nearly dry. Cool completely.
炒焖馅心
🔍 Look for Medium heat 20 分钟 · 20 minutes
Visual: 馅料乌亮、近乎酱状，用勺划过不留流动的汤汁Mixture is dark, glossy and almost jam-like with no free liquid running when the spoon is dragged through
You know it's right when: 勺子划出的沟槽能保持形状几秒The spoon leaves a channel that holds its shape for a few seconds
It must be cold before wrapping — warm filling steams the dough from inside and the buns collapse.
4Knead flour, sugar and yeast into the warm water for 12 minutes, then rise 70 minutes until doubled.
和面一发
🔍 Look for 70 分钟 · 70 minutes
Visual: 面团光滑象牙白、缎面哑光，能干净脱离碗壁Dough is smooth, ivory and satin-matt and pulls clean away from the bowl
You know it's right when: A floured finger dent stays put instead of springing back
5Fold the sesame oil through the cold filling, divide the dough into 12, wrap about 2 tbsp each, pleat closed and proof 25 minutes.
包制醒发
🔍 Look for 25 分钟 · 25 minutes
Visual: 包子微微鼓起，手感像紧实的棉花糖；收口严密，没有深色馅心外露Buns sit slightly puffed and feel like a firm marshmallow; seams are closed with no dark filling peeking out
You know it's right when: A gentle press springs back slowly rather than instantly
6Steam over vigorously boiling water 14 minutes, then turn off the heat and rest 5 minutes before opening the lid.
蒸制焖锅
🔍 Look for High heat 蒸14分钟 + 焖5分钟 · 14 minutes steam + 5 minutes rest
Visual: 包子饱满色浅，馅心贴着面皮处透出淡淡的褐色Buns are plump and pale with a faint brown blush where the filling touches the dough
You know it's right when: Opening the lid releases a burst of steam and the bases lift cleanly off the parchment

Tips

· Wash mei gan cai in three changes of water — it is packed with sand and one rinse is never enough.
· Cool the filling completely. Warm filling pre-cooks the dough and the buns wrinkle on opening.
· Sugar is not a mistake here: it is what turns the sour edge of the greens into sweetness.

Sources & references

Quantities, technique notes, and substitution ratios are cross-checked against established Chinese cookery references and standard food-science sources.

Read our editorial policy
Fuchsia Dunlop, Land of Plenty: A Treasury of Authentic Sichuan Cooking
USDA FoodData Central — ingredient nutrition and portion data
Traditional Chinese family-kitchen practice and regional taste records

Common questions

Can I skip Shaoxing wine? What's the substitute?

Dry sherry is the closest 1:1 swap (fidelity ~80%). No sherry? Use a splash of white wine plus a little water, or just skip it and add a tiny extra pinch of sugar — the wine's job is depth and removing meat's gamey notes, and a good marinade covers most of it.

Source: HǎoWèi substitution engine

What's the difference between light and dark soy sauce?

Light soy (生抽) is the everyday salty seasoning — thin and salty, used in most recipes. Dark soy (老抽) is thicker, darker, slightly sweet, and used mostly for color (braises, fried rice). If you only buy one, get light soy. For dark soy's color: 1 tbsp light soy + a pinch of sugar + a few drops of molasses.

Source: HǎoWèi pantry guide

Is there a vegan substitute for oyster sauce?

Yes — 'mushroom oyster sauce' (often labeled vegetarian/vegan) is sold in most Asian grocers and increasingly in mainstream supermarkets. It behaves 1:1 and adds the same glossy umami. Watch labels if you're also gluten-free; most brands are GF, some aren't.

Source: HǎoWèi substitution engine