Tag: East Asian
Baked Pork Buns
Baked Pork Buns
You might be familiar with the traditional char siu steamed pork buns that are served for dim sum. Hujiao bing are the baked Taiwanese version of the pork bao. The buns are easier to make then it looks. All of the pork filling ingredients get mixed together. The dough comes together rather effortlessly in a standing mixer. After the dough is allowed to rise, it is cut into equal portions, rolled out, then stuffed with the pork filling. The buns are brushed with egg, sprinkled with sesame seeds, and baked until golden brown.
Equipment
- standing mixer with dough hook
- rolling pin
Ingredients
Pork Filling
- 1 lb ground pork
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp shaoxing cooking wine
- 2 garlic cloves grated
- 1 tsp ginger grated
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cups green onions chopped
Dough
- 2 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm water
- 3 cups flour
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds
Instructions
- Mix together all of the pork filling ingredients. Cover. Place in the refrigerator for an hour.
- Using the dough hook attachment in a standing mixer, mix together the yeast and warm water.
- Slowly incorporate the flour to the bowl, using medium low speed on your mixer until a dough forms. Continue kneading the dough in the mixer for 10 minutes.
- Cover the dough ball with a tbsp of olive oil. Wrap the bowl in plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.
- Punch down the raised dough.
- Roll the dough out on a well floured surface.
- Cut out 10 equal sized pieces and roll into balls.
- Roll out each dough ball to 5”-6” in diameter.
- Evenly distribute the pork filling in the center of each rolled out dough ball.
- Take a small handful of green onions and place on top of the pork.
- Fold the edges of the dough up toward the center and crimp closed. Place seam side down on a baking sheet lined in parchment paper.
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Brush each bun with egg. Sprinkle each bun with sesame seeds on top.
- Bake the buns for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Let rest before serving.
Braised Duck Legs
Braised Duck Legs
Braised duck legs is something you won’t find on a Chinese menu. Instead, a dish that appears to be as lavish as this one, is apart of Chinese home cooking. The duck legs are chopped in a couple pieces and then blanched to remove any excess blood and other impurities. The duck is briefly sautéed with ginger and green onions, then braised in water, light and dark soy sauces, shaoxing cooking wine, and sugar for an hour. The duck legs turn out unbelievably tender. Your home will smell amazing. Your belly will be content.
Servings: 2
Ingredients
- 2 lbs duck legs
- 4 green onions chopped
- 6 slices ginger
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
- 2 cups water
- 2 tbsp shaoxing cooking wine
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Cut the drumstick from the thigh. Cut the thighs in half.
- Placd the duck legs in a pot of cold water. Bring the pot to a boil. Simmer for 3 minutes. Skim any scum that floats to the top.
- Drain the water from the duck.
- Heat up the cooking oil in a pot over medium high heat. Add in the Sichuan peppercorns and fry for 1 minute. Scoop out the peppercorns and discard.
- Toss in the ginger and green onions. Sauté for 1 minute.
- Add in the duck. Brown the pieces for 5 minutes.
- Pour in 2 cups of water, soy sauces, cooking wine, and sugar. Bring to a boil. Cover. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 1 hour.
- Half way through the simmering, season with salt.
Taiwanese Turkey Rice
Taiwanese Turkey Rice
I’ve been more excited to use the leftover turkey for this recipe than the actual whole turkey I initially smoked. Turkey rice is a traditional Taiwanese dish that is really only eaten in food stalls and not made at home. Turkeys were introduced to Taiwan in the 1700s by Dutch colonists. Today, they are exclusively raised for restaurants, mostly making turkey rice. Roast turkey is chopped and placed on top of steamed rice. A rich sauce consisting of duck, goose, or pork fat, garlic, stock, soy sauce, cooking wine, sugar, and white pepper is ladled over the turkey rice, then topped with crispy fried shallots. Instead of using chicken or turkey stock, many turkey rice vendors will use pork stock since it is richer in flavor. Something that looks so simple and basic is actually so pleasantly satisfying that you will be back for seconds. Is this the ultimate leftover turkey comfort food? I think so.There are 2 approaches to making turkey rice. You can follow the recipe using leftover roast turkey, or poach a bone in turkey breast in stock with green onions, ginger, star anise, and salt. They are both great, but I had a good amount of leftover turkey from thanksgiving that I wanted to use up. Again, I would recommend making a large batch of turkey rice because you will want to eat more and more after your first bowl. It is that good.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 3 lbs leftover roast turkey chopped
- 4 cups pork stock
- 1/2 cup duck, goose, or pork fat
- 2 cups shallots thinly sliced
- 1 head garlic thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup shaoxing cooking wine
- 1/4 cup light soy sauce
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tsp white pepper
- 4 cups steamed rice for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking pan with foil. Place the chopped turkey on pan with 1 cup of the pork stock. Bake for 15 minutes. Set aside.
- Melt the duck fat in a large sauté pan over medium heat.
- Add in the shallots in a single layer.
- Fry the shallots for 15-20 minutes until they are crispy.
- Scoop out the shallots and drain on paper towel. Set aside.
- In the same sauté pan, fry the garlic in the duck fat for 3 minutes.
- Pour in the stock along with the cooking wine, soy sauce, sugar, and white pepper.
- Simmer over medium high heat for 20 minutes until the sauce has reduced by half.
