Combine warm water, active yeast, sugar and oil. Whisk to dissolve sugar and let the yeast bloom for about 5-10 minutes.

Combine baking powder, salt and flour in a separate bowl.

Once the yeast has bloomed, mix in the wet ingredient mixture to the dry ingredients.

Knead until smooth and elastic. It should not stick to your hands.

Let rise until triple in size.

Form the dough into the desired shape. I wanted to make buns so I formed it into small balls. You can form it into disks to make gua bao. Let rise for 30 minutes.

Prepare your steamer to a boil. Over a medium low heat, steam the buns for 15 minutes. Place a cloth under the lid so it will collect the moisture and not drip onto the buns. Take off from heat and let cool down for around 3-5 minutes.