Char Siu Bao (叉烧包)
Steamed BBQ Pork Buns
Equipment
- Bamboo steamer
Ingredients
Steamed Char Siu Bao dough
- 7 g yeast active dry
- 180 ml water warm
- 270 g plain flour sifted
- 120 g corn flour sifted
- 5 tbsp sugar
- ¼ cup rice bran oil
- 2½ tsp baking powder
- 1-2 tsp water optional
Bao filling
- 1 tbsp rice bran oil
- 1 shallot small and finely chopped
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1½ tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 1½ cups Chinese roast pork diced
Complete Recipe Steps
- Dissolve the yeast in the warm water in the bowl of an electric mixer with a dough hook attachment (you can also use a standard mixing bowl and knead by hand as well).7 g yeast, 180 ml water
- Sift the flour and corn flour together into the yeast mixture. Then, add the sugar and the oil. Using the lowest speed, let the mixer run until a smooth dough ball forms.270 g plain flour, 120 g corn flour, 5 tbsp sugar, ¼ cup rice bran oil
- Turn off the mixer, cover the dough with a damp tea towel and allow it to rest for two hours. (Don't worry, I didn't miss the baking powder. We’ll come back to it later!)
- If this is the first time you are using your bamboo steamer, soak the bottom rim in some water to prevent it from burning during cooking.
- Prepare the meat filling while the dough is resting. In a wok or a large pan, heat the oil at a medium-high temperature. Stir-fry the shallot (or onion, if you’re using onion instead) in the hot oil for a minute until fragrant.1 shallot, 1 tbsp rice bran oil
- Add the sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and dark soy. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook while stirring until the mixture begins to boil.1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 2 tsp sesame oil, 2 tsp dark soy sauce, 1½ tbsp oyster sauce
- Add the flour and chicken stock, then cook the mixture for a few minutes until it has thickened. Turn off the heat, then add the roast pork and stir through. Set it to the side to allow it to cool.2 tbsp plain flour, ½ cup chicken stock, 1½ cups Chinese roast pork
- Once the dough has rested for 2 hours, add the baking powder to the dough and start the mixer on the lowest setting. If the dough appears dry or you're having trouble mixing the baking powder at this point, add 1-2 tablespoons of water.2½ tsp baking powder, 1-2 tsp water
- To make the dough smooth once more, gently knead it, cover with a damp tea towel, then give it another 15 minutes of resting time.
- Grab a large piece of baking paper and cut it into ten squares measuring 10cm by 10cm (4x4 inches).
- Prepare your steamer while the dough is resting. Put your steamer in a clean wok and add enough water so that it comes up the bottom rim of the steamer by about 0.5cm to 1cm (quarter inch to half inch). Bring the water to a gentle boil to get your steamer ready.
- Time to shape those buns! Roll the dough into a long tube then divide into 10 equal pieces. Use a rolling pin to flatten each piece of dough into a disc with a diameter of roughly 12cm (4 1/2 inches). The disc should be thicker in the centre and thinner around the edges.
- Fill the bun dough with the Char Siu BBQ pork filling and pleat each one until the tops are sealed then place onto a square of baking paper.
- Once the water has reached a low boil, place five of the buns in the steamer with even spacing. Steam for 12 minutes over high heat until the buns are light and fluffy. Repeat again with the remaining five buns. I used a bamboo steamer to steam the buns in two separate batches (be careful not to let the boiling water touch the buns during steaming otherwise this will leave the buns soggy).
Notes
- To prevent the Char Siu BBQ Pork filling from drying out, keep it in an airtight container in the fridge if you prepare it ahead of time.
- You can use a large bamboo steamer to steam the buns in two batches of five buns. It will take about 24 minutes in total.
- The easiest way to use a bamboo steamer is with a wok. Make sure you have soaked the bamboo steamer in water before using it to prevent it from burning. Then place the steamer inside the wok and fill with enough water that it comes up the bottom rim of the steamer by about 0.5cm to 1cm (quarter inch to half inch)
- If you don’t have a wok and are using a pan instead, you will need a stainless steel steam rack to put in your pan so that the bamboo steamer is not touching the water.