Cha Sui Bao Recipes

STEAMED BBQ PORK BUNS (CHAR SIU BAO)

Steps:

• 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 4 1/2 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.

BAKED PORK BUN (CHAR SIU BAO)

Steps:

• For the marinade: Mix the chicken base, soy sauce, sugar, food coloring, salt and pepper in a bowl. Cut pork in half horizontally to make two long, flat thin pieces (for better flavor penetration). Put the pork in a stainproof container or resealable plastic bag and pour in the marinade. Marinate 20 minutes in the fridge.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and place a rack on top. Remove pork from the marinade and place on rack. Roast, about 45 minutes. Let pork rest for 10 minutes, then dice.
• For the dough: Meanwhile, combine the flour, sugar, butter, yeast, egg and 1/2 cup warm water in a mixing bowl and blend for 10 minutes. Let sit for 3 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Cut twelve 3-inch pieces of wax paper and set aside.
• Roll dough by hand into a cylinder with a 1 1/4-inch diameter. Cut into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and flatten into a 3-inch pancake.
• Add some pork to the center of a pancake, then fold the edges of the dough over the pork and bring together. Repeat with remaining pancakes and pork, placing completed buns on squares of wax paper.
• Place completed filled buns on waxed paper and brush tops with mayonnaise and condensed milk. Bake, about 15 minutes.

CHINESE PORK BUNS (CHA SIU BAO)

Steps:

• Dissolve 1/4 cup sugar in 1 3/4 cups warm water, and then add the yeast. Let stand for 10 minutes, or until mixture is frothy. Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Stir in 2 tablespoons shortening and the yeast mixture; mix well.
• Knead the dough until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a greased bowl, and cover it with a sheet of cling wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place for about 2 hours, or until it has tripled in bulk.
• Cut the pork into 2 inch thick strips. Use fork to prick it all over. Marinate for 5 hours in a mixture made with 1 1/2 tablespoons light soy sauce, 1 1/2 tablespoons hoisin sauce, and 1 teaspoon sweet soy sauce. Grill the pork until cooked and charred. Cut roasted port into 1/2 inch cubes.
• Combine 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce, oyster sauce, and 1 cup water in a saucepan. Bring to the boil. Mix cornstarch with 2 1/2 tablespoons water; add to the saucepan, and stir until thickened. Mix in 2 tablespoons lard or shortening, sesame oil, and white pepper. Cool, and mix in the roasted pork.
• Remove the dough from the bowl, and knead it on a lightly floured surface until it is smooth and elastic. Roll the dough into a long roll, and divide it into 24 pieces. Flatten each piece with the palm of the hand to form a thin circle. The center of the circle should be thicker than the edge. Place one portion of the pork filling in the center of each dough circle. Wrap the dough to enclose the filling. Pinch edges to form the bun. Let the buns stand for 10 minutes.
• Steam buns for 12 minutes. Serve.

CHA SUI BAO

Steps:

• Dissolve 1/4 cup sugar in 1 3/4 cups warm water, and then add the yeast. Let stand for 10 minutes, or until mixture is frothy.
• Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl.
• Stir in 2 tablespoons shortening and the yeast mixture; mix well.
• Knead the dough until smooth and elastic.
• Place the dough in a greased bowl, and cover it with a sheet of cling wrap.
• Let the dough rise in a warm place for about 2 hours, or until it has tripled in bulk.
• Cut the pork into 2 inch thick strips. Use fork to prick it all over.
• Marinate for 5 hours in a mixture made with 1 1/2 tablespoons light soy sauce, 1 1/2 tablespoons hoisin sauce, and 1 teaspoon sweet soy sauce.
• Grill the pork until cooked and charred.
• Cut roasted port into 1/2 inch cubes.
• Combine 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce, oyster sauce, and 1 cup water in a saucepan. Bring to the boil.
• Mix cornstarch with 2 1/2 tablespoons water; add to the saucepan, and stir until thickened.
• Mix in 2 tablespoons lard or shortening, sesame oil, and white pepper.
• Cool, and mix in the roasted pork.
• Remove the dough from the bowl, and knead it on a lightly floured surface until it is smooth and elastic.
• Roll the dough into a long roll, and divide it into 24 pieces.
• Flatten each piece with the palm of the hand to form a thin circle. The center of the circle should be thicker than the edge.
• Place one portion of the pork filling in the center of each dough circle.
• Wrap the dough to enclose the filling.
• Pinch edges to form the bun.
• Let the buns stand for 10 minutes.
• Steam buns for 12 minutes.
• Serve.
• Note: Hoisin sauce, also called Peking sauce, is a thick, reddish-brown sauce that is sweet and spicy, and widely used in Chinese cooking. It's a mixture of soybeans, garlic, chili peppers and various spices. It can be found in Asian markets and many large supermarkets. Look in the Asian or ethnic section.

CHA SIU BAO (SWEET BARBECUE PORK BUNS)

Steps:

• You can use my recipe for char siu (#34265) or make it with a mix- both powdered and liquid mixes are available at Asian food stores.
• I like the Noh brand, personally.
• Chop the char siu and mushrooms finely.
• Combine the water and cornstarch and stir into the char siu and mushrooms.
• Add salt, soy sauce, sesame oil, hoisin sauce, and sugar, and add enough food coloring to color the mixture a bright red.
• Heat the oil and lightly cook the garlic, then add the rest of the filling mixture and cook until thick.
• To make the bao dough, dissolve the yeast and sugar in the water and let stand for 5 minutes.
• Combine water with salt, milk and oil; stir in flour.
• Knead 5-10 minutes or until dough is smooth.
• Divide dough into 8 even balls.
• Press a cavity into each ball, and spread the ball into a 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick cup.
• Fill the cup with 1/8 of the filling mixture, and press the edges closed to seal the bao.
• Cut waxed paper in 4-5 inch squares and place each bao on a piece of paper, sealed side down.
• Place bao in a steamer basket, cover, and let rise for 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size.
• Bring the water under the steamer to a boil and steam bao for 10 minutes.

VEGAN CHA SIU BAO

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve cane sugar in warm water. Mix gently and add yeast. Allow mixture to rest for 10 minutes.
• In a larger bowl, knead together the flour and margarine until mixture resembles small beads. Add yeast mixture and mix gently with a spoon. On a floured cutting board, knead dough until it's smooth and pliable. Form into a ball and place back into a larger bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for about two hours.
• In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, heat vegetable oil. Add seitan, salt, and pepper, and pan-fry for about 3 minutes on each side. In a medium bowl, mix hoisin sauce, chili sauce, and sour cream. Add fried seitan and set aside.
• On a cutting board sprinkled with baking powder, divide dough into 12 flat rounds. In the center of each round, add a heaping tablespoon of the seitan mixture. Pull the sides of the rounds up to completely encase the seitan mixture and twist the dough to seal.
• Fill a large saucepan 1/4 of the way with water, place over high heat, and bring to a boil. In a metal colander over the pot seam buns for about 15 minutes.