Fun with food - Bau

What, you ask, is bau?

Still don't have any idea after looking at the picture?

They are buns filled with yummy goodness.  Officially, they are steamed buns made of wheat flour and filled with various meats or vegetable pastes.  They are a great size for a quick snack and super easy to eat while on the go. 

The bun itself is pretty light and sort of squishy.  If I had to compare it to something it probably has the consistency of a sponge cake.  They are a bit sponge-like...hence the comparison in the last sentence...to the touch and bounce back to their normal shape...think angel food cake.

Most of them fit in the palm of your hand...

The picture above is a normal teaspoon to give you an idea of the size.

You are probably wondering what the pink dots are on the one on the left.  As I mentioned, there are a number of varieties and the colored dots on the top are what let you know what is in the filling.  I got a barbecue chicken one (pink dots) and one with a sweet black bean paste.

So, how do they taste?

I actually really like them.  The bun part of them is a pretty bland taste and the real flavor comes from whatever the filling is inside them.  I also like that you can get both savory and sweet versions.  The barbecue chicken is just exactly what it implies...although is probably a bit sweeter than what you find in the US.  The sweet black bean paste probably sounds horrible but I really enjoy it.  It doesn't taste anything like beans to me and is truly sweet.  You get a little bit of the consistency of the beans but otherwise you wouldn't know. 

You can get bau at most hawker stalls, at grocery stores, and even at the 7/11.  The 7/11 ones aren't the best but like any convenience store food they do in a pinch...and actually are far better than roller dogs from the convenience stores in the US...probably a little healthier too.