Char Siu Bao
No dim sum is complete without char siu bao: Chinese bbq pork steam buns. These fluffy buns are filled with char siu pork in a sweet and salty glaze; steamed in a bamboo steamer basket. This recipe is definitely more difficult then most of the recipes on stonedsoup.net. Just to make the char siu require a 3 day process. You will also need a standing mixer, rolling pin, and a lot of patience. All the effort will pay off and make many bellies happy. Unless you decide to eat all of the steam buns. It’s possible.
Equipment
- standing mixer with dough hook attachment
- rolling pin
- parchment paper
- bamboo steamer basket
Ingredients
Dough
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 2 tsp active dry yeast
- 4 tbsp sugar
- 1 2/3 cup cake flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp lard
Char Siu Filling
- 1/4 cup chicken stock
- 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp shaoxing cooking wine
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 garlic clove grated
- 1/4 tsp 5 spice powder
- 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch dissolved into 2 tbsp cold water
- 2 cups char siu diced
Instructions
- Let the yeast activate with the sugar and warm water at the bottom of the standing mixer bowl for 5 minutes.
- Add in the cake flour and baking powder.
- Slowly increase speed up to 6 out of 10. Knead for 10 minutes.
- Add in the lard and knead for 5 more minutes.
- Cover the dough ball with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm placd for 2 hours.
- While the dough is rising, add the stock, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, shaoxing cooking wine, sugar, garlic, and 5 spice to a small pot over medium heat for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the cornstarch slurry. Cook for 30 seconds.
- Stir in the char siu. Cook for 2 minutes, then turn off the heat.
Char Siu Bao Assembly
- Lightly flour a clean surface. Roll out the dough and cut it into 12 equal pieces.
- Roll each piece into a ball. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough to a 4” disc.
- Place a heaping tbsp of the char siu filling in the center of the dough.
- Pinch the left and right side tips together; then do the same to the top and bottom side creating a shape like so.
- Pinch the opposing corners together to form a bun.
- You should yield a dozen steam buns. Line them on parchment paper.
- Place 6 buns per layer in a bamboo steamer.
- Steam over medium heat for 20 minutes.
