Steamed Pork Buns

Remember that Char Siu we made? Okay, now it's time to take it out of the refrigerator or freezer and put it to good use!

Steamed Pork Bun Dough 

from The Dim Sum Dumpling Book

Allow 1 1/2 hour prep time

1 1/8 c of bleached all purpose flour (the best flour to use in the US would be Gold Medal)

1 3/4 t baking powder

1/4 c sugar

3 T milk

2T water

1 1/2 T peanut or vegetable oil (or any other flavorless oil)

1. Mix flour, baking powder, and sugar together in a food processor or Kitchen Aid. Add milk and blend well. After milk has been absorbed, add water and again, mix well. Add oil and continue to work the dough.

2. Pulse on the food processor or with the dough hook on the Kitchen Aid, knead until dough is elastic, approximately 5-6 minutes. If doing by hand, allow 10 minutes. If dough is wet, sprinkle with extra flour. It should not be overly sticky.

3. When elastic, cover with a damp cloth and let rest for at least 1 hour, but no more than 3. Do not freeze this dough raw.

Steamed Pork Buns

from The Dim Sum Dumpling Book

Allow 4-8 hours prep time

Yield: 8 buns

Sauce:

2 t oyster sauce

3/4 dark soy sauce

2 t ketchup

1 1/2 t sugar

pinch of white pepper

3 T chicken broth

1/2 t sesame oil

Rest of recipe:

2 t peanut or vegetable oil

1/3 c onions, 1/4" dice

1/2 c roast pork, diced

1 t Shao-Hsing wine or dry sherry

1 Steamed Bun Dough recipe

1. Combine sauce ingredients and reserve. Prepare filling: heat wok over high heat for 30 seconds. Add oil and coat wok with spatula. When heated, a wisp of white smoke will appear. Add onions, lower heat, and cook, turning occasionally, until light brown, 3-4 minutes. Add roast pork, raise heat and stir-fry to combine the pork with the onions, about 1 minute. Add wine and mix well.

2. Lower heat, stir in the sauce mixture to the pork and onions. Combine until well mixed and sauce thickens and bubbles. Turn heat off. Remove mixture from wok and transfer to a shallow dish. Allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for 4 hours uncovered, or overnight, covered.

Roast Pork cooked and cooled

To assemble the buns:

1. Cut 8 pieces of parchment or waxed paper (I find they tend to stick horribly to waxed paper, leaving so much of their goodness behind when you try and remove it from the paper to eat it!) into 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" squares and set aside.

2. Uncover the dough and roll into a cylindrical piece 8" long. Cut into 8 one-inch pieces. A ruler works best if you are horrible at guessing like I am. Roll each piece into a ball and set aside, covered with a damp cloth.. Work one piece at a time.

3. Press ball down lightly. Working with fingers of both hands, press dough into a dome-like shape. The approximate size of mine were 4" across. Place 1 tablespoon of filling in center of the well that has been created. As you get better, you can increase this to 2 tablespoons of filling.

Filling in the dome

Partially pleated

4. Pleat the dough closed, twist and break off any excess dough. The closure should be smooth. 

Ready to hit the steamer

5. Place buns on paper squares, closed, pleated side up, and place in a steamer at least 2" apart to allow for expansion. Steam for 15-20 minutes. Serve immediately.

6. You can cool and freeze them at this point, and re-steam for later use if you prefer.