Char Siew Pau 叉烧包

Yield: 12 small buns

Char Siew filling

Ingredients:
250g pork belly or collar meat

          三层肉或五花肉
300g water 水
1/2 tbsp char siew paste/Hoisin sauce

               叉烧酱或海鲜酱
1 tsp sesame oil 麻油
1 tbsp light soya sauce 酱清
1/2 tbsp rose wine or cooking wine

               玫瑰露/花雕酒
1 tbsp oyster sauce 蚝油
1/2 tsp dark soya sauce 黑酱油
2 tbsp sugar 糖
2 tsp potato starch 太白粉
1 tsp sesame seeds, roasted, optional

          烤香芝麻，随意
1 tsp Chinese coriander, finely chopped
          莞荽，切细粒

Seasoning ingredients for char siew

1. Boil 300g of water in a pot. Put in the pork belly or collar meat and cook till it is almost done.
将300g的水煮沸，加肉大略煮熟。

2. Remove the pork from the pot and set aside to cool. Add about 150g of the stock to the potato starch. Set aside.
将肉取出放一旁降温。取大约150g的肉汤汁加入太白粉中混均，搁一旁待用。

The cooked pork belly

3. Remove the pork skin and cut the pork belly into bit size. A smaller pork bits gives better taste.
将皮切去，再把其余的肉块切成细粒。肉粒越细，叉烧肉馅会更好吃。

4. Heat up a pot and lightly coat with oil. Stir-fry the pork pieces till fragrant. Add in the sesame oil, rose wine, light soya sauce, oyster sauce, char siew paste, sugar and dark soya sauce. Finally add in the starch mixture from (2). Continue to heat till the gravy thicken and almost dry.
Finally add in the sesame seeds and chopped coriander.

热锅下点油，将肉粒炒香，加入麻油、酒、酱清、蚝油、叉烧酱、糖和黑酱油炒均，再加入（2）的太白粉芡。等酱汁浓稠大略收干，洒入芝麻和莞荽后，起锅。

Stir fry the pork till fragrant

After the gravy has thickened, add in
sesame seeds and chopped coriander

Let the char siew cools down

5. Cover the 叉烧 with a lid and keep in the fridge till needed. The cold filling is easier to handle, so need not return to room temperature before use. 
将叉烧馅装入容器，降温后盖上盖子放入冰箱冷藏。包馅时不需回温，粘稠成团的馅较好操作。

Store the char siew in a covered container
and store in the fridge.

 

Bun dough

Starter dough:
200g all purpose flour
1.5 tsp fine sugar
1 tsp instant dry yeast
100g warm water, about 35degree C

1. Mix sugar, yeast and warm water together to activate the yeast for about 5 minutes.

Adding yeast and sugar to warm water
to activate the yeast

2. Pour the yeast mixture into the flour and mix well for about 3 minutes.

Pour the yeast mixture to the
flour to mix

4. Let the dough proof for 4 to 6 hours. You'll be able to smell a strong wine aroma at the end of proofing.

Knead the dough for 3 minutes and let it
proofs for 4 to 6 hours

At the end of proofing, the starter dough
becomes porous and emits strong
alcohol smell.

Final dough:
47g all purpose flour
54g corn starch
54g fine sugar
20g cooking oil, light colour
20g water
8g double action baking powder
10g water, for adjusting the dough moisture during kneading

1. Mix corn starch, all purpose flour and double action baking powder. Set aside.

Mix double action baking powder
with corn starch

2. Add sugar, oil and 20g water to the starter dough. Knead till all the sugar melts. The dough should become quite runny.

Adding water, sugar and oil
to the starter dough

3. Add in the corn starch mixture and knead for about 20 minutes or till the dough become smooth. If the dough is dry, add in the remaining 10g water bit by bit.

Mix in the corn flour mixture to the starter dough

Use the heel of your hand to knead the dough

At the end of the kneading, the dough
will become smooth

4. Let the dough rest in a covered container for about 10 minutes. Cut the dough into 12 portions.

Cover the dough and let it proof

Divide the dough into equal portions

5. Flatten a dough and roll it out. Keep the centre of the dough thicker than its edge. Flip the dough over, so the smoother face will be facing out when you wrap up the bun.

Roll out the dough with the
centre thicker than the
edge

Flip the dough leaving the
smoother surface facing down

6. Scoop a spoonful of 叉烧 onto the dough skin and wrap it up. Pinched the opening to seal.

Scoop a teaspoon of char siew
filling onto the dough skin

Wrap up the skin and pinch tight

7. Place the 叉烧包 onto a square parchment paper and let it proof for 15 to 20 minutes.

Place the bun onto a baking paper

Let the buns rest on a pot of warm
water for about 20 minutes

You may also keep the remaining buns in a rice cooker.

Proofing the buns in a rice cooker

8. Steam the 叉烧包 in medium high heat for about 10 minutes. Let the 包 remain in the steamer for another 2 minutes before opening the lid.

Wrap the lid with a steamer cloth
to prevent water from dripping
to the buns

The buns after steaming

9. Let the 叉烧包 cool down a while before consuming :)