Serves: 10 buns
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- ¾ cup warm water
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 5 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ cup canola or vegetable oil
- 2½ teaspoons baking powder
For the filling:
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ⅓ cup finely chopped shallots or red onion
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1½ tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1½ cups diced Chinese roast pork (you can buy it ready-made, or see our recipe to make your own
Instructions
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment (you can also just use a regular mixing bowl and knead by hand), dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Sift together the flour and cornstarch, and add it to the yeast mixture along with the sugar and oil. Turn on the mixer to the lowest setting and let it go until a smooth dough ball is formed. Cover with a damp cloth and let it rest for 2 hours. (I haven't forgotten about the baking powder. You'll add that later!)
- While the dough is resting, make the meat filling. Heat the oil in a wok over medium high heat. Add the onion and stir-fry for a minute. Turn heat down to medium-low, and add the sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and dark soy. Stir and cook until the mixture starts to bubble up. Add the chicken stock and flour, cooking for a couple minutes until thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the roast pork. Set aside to cool. If you make the filling ahead of time, cover and refrigerate to prevent it from drying out.
- After your dough has rested for 2 hours, add the baking powder to the dough and turn the mixer on to the lowest setting. At this point, if the dough looks dry or you're having trouble incorporating the baking powder, add 1-2 teaspoons water. Gently knead the dough until it becomes smooth again. Cover with a damp cloth and let it rest for another 15 minutes. In the meantime, get a large piece of parchment paper and cut it into ten 4x4 inch squares. Prepare your steamer by bringing the water to a boil.
- Now we are ready to assemble the buns: roll the dough into a long tube and divide it into 10 equal pieces. Press each piece of dough into a disc about 4½ inches in diameter (it should be thicker in the center and thinner around the edges). Add some filling and pleat the buns until they're closed on top.
- Place each bun on a parchment paper square, and steam. I steamed the buns in two separate batches using a bamboo steamer (be sure the boiling water does not touch the buns during steaming process). Once the water boils, place the buns in the steamer and steam each batch for 12 minutes over high heat
http://www.thirstyfortea.com/recipes/dim-sum-recipe-8-steamed-char-siu-bao/
Dim Sum Recipe #8: Steamed BBQ Pork Buns (Char Siu Bao)
Makes 16 small buns.
Ingredients:
1 batch of Chinese Steamed Bun Dough
1 full recipe of Char Siu Bao Filling
Equipment:
stand mixer with mixing bowl and hook attachment
large whisk
large proofing bowl
plastic wrap
work surface
bamboo steamer
wok with slightly larger diameter than steamer OR a stockpot with exactly the same diameter as the steamer
rolling-pin or scale
parchment, to line steamer
food processor (optional)
large frying pan or wok (for making char siu filling)
large plate
Directions:
1.) Make 1 batch of Chinese Bun Dough (aka dough for Chinese Fold-Over Buns). While dough is going through first proofing, make the Char Siu Bao Filling.
2.) Make 1 full recipe of Char Siu Bao Filling. If you prefer, process the store-bought/prepared BBQ pork in a food processor until you get a shredded-like texture to the meat, then proceed with Char Siu Bao Filling recipe. If not, just dice the pork into 1/4 inch cubes and proceed with the filling recipe. I’ve omitted the chives here as a like a completely reddish looking filling. You can add chives into the filling if you prefer. After cooking, place the filling on a large plate and cover with plastic wrap. Set it aside to cool to room temperature.
3.) When the first proofing is complete, cut the dough into 16 equal pieces. You can just eyeball this or use a scale for extra accuracy.
4.) Form each of the 16 portions of dough into balls, then roll each ball into a 3.5″ flat round. Place 1 Tbsp of the cooled char siu filling in the center of each round, then pleat the edges of the dough round and pinch to seal the top of the bun (see below). Set finished buns into a parchment lined bamboo steamer (or large plate) about 2″ apart, then cover with plastic wrap and allow the buns about 15 minutes to proof again. Preferably, proof the buns in a warm, draft free place.
5.) Meanwhile, fill wok or stockpot with 3-4″ of water. Set water on high heat and let it come to a full boil. After the 15 minutes of proofing have elapsed, place the steamers in/on top of the wok/stockpot and cook on high heat for 8 minutes, or until the buns are puffy, fluffy, and risen.
