What is the translation of Bao?

Bao can be translated to mean 'little steamed bun' or 'treasure, my precious'. In the Pixar short, Bao the Chinese mother is in love with her little steamed bun and treasures the activities they do together.

Members of the production team for the short film "BAO" including Director Domee Shi, Producer Becky Neiman, Ian Megibben, Lourdes Alba, Rona Liu, Connie Li and Lucy Laliberte meet on December 18, 2018 at Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, Calif. (Photo by Deborah Coleman / Pixar)

Pixar Short Bao Fun Facts:

Bao uses patterns and colors of the clothing in the short tell the story of the mom. Happy and bright patterns and colors when she's happy and things are good with dumpling. The patterns and colors will get darker when she's depressed or sad.

There are no straight lines in the short.

Bao's kitchen is designed to look very similar to Domee Shi's Mom's kitchen.

Shadows are used throughout the short to show the growing divide mom and dumpling. The subway scene is a great example of the conflict and divide between the two.

It took the animation team 2 months to get the folding technique animated authentically. Domee's mom came in multiple times for lessons.

What is Bao?

Bao is a nutritious meal in a bite-sized steamed bun. The filling varies but often have pork, beef, vegetables and often ginger and oyster sauce. The white dough is hand-stretched, wrapped around the filling, pinched closed at the top and steamed in a bamboo basket. When cooked the bao puff up from the steam. A lot of love and work goes into creating each bao bun.

The menu for a restaurant, inspired by the Pixar short film "Bao," is shown on a piece of paper.

Bao filling ingredients:

ground pork

Chinese cabbage, shredded

carrot, minced

green onion stalks, chopped

egg

ground ginger

olive oil

chicken bouillon powder

oyster sauce

cooking wine

salt and pepper

(adjust seasoning to taste)

Short film "BAO" Director Domee Shi with her mother Ningsha Zhong shows the production team how to make dumplings, as seen on September 7, 2017 at Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, Calif. (Photo by Deborah Coleman / Pixar)

Bao directions: (as told by Domee's Mom)

Mix flour and yeast in a mixing bowl

Add water and kneed until a solid dough ball forms.

If it get too sticky, add more flour. If it is too dry, add more water.

Cover and let the dough rise for 2 hours.

Cook half the ground pork in a pan, add it to the raw pork.

Mix the pork with the shredded cabbage, minced carrot, green onions, beaten egg, ground ginger, olive oil, chicken bouillon powder, oyster sauce, cooking wine, salt and pepper.

Once the dough has risen, dust the countertop with flour and into a long rope shape using the 'windmill technique'. (see photo)

Cut the dough rope into ½" pieces. Roll each piece into a wrapper.

Spoon ½ a tablespoon of filling into the center of the wrapper.

Carefully pinch and fold the wrapper closed, twisting the top to finish. Make sure to press the dough tight to seal the top.

Bring a pot of water to boil. Place the Baos in a steaming basket lined with cabbage leaves, to prevent sticking and place the basket on top of the boiling pot of water.

Close lid.

Steam for 15 minutes.

Turn off heat and let Baos rest for an additional 5 minutes.

Enjoy warm and remember the love.

published December 13, 2018

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Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 16 years Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.

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