Steamed Roasted Pork Buns / Cha Siew Bao [叉烧包]

Look at the paper-thin skin ...

... and the fluffy, soft  texture 

I love steamed buns (also known as pau or bao or baozi) which has a light, fluffy and a little chewy texture with paper-thin skin that can be easily peeled off.  I remember when I was a kid, I was always told to peel the skin off the bao before eating.  I would silently peeled it and then put it into my mouth because I loved the feel of the bao skin in my mouth (weird or what?).  As I grew older I began to understand why we had to remove the skin off the bao - for hygienic reasons.  In those days no bao vendors wore disposable gloves or used tongs to handle the baos.  Now that I made my own bao, I still maintained the habit of peeling the skin off before I eat.  Old habits die hard, you know  :P

This is my first attempt at making bao using Hong Kong flour which is a highly bleached flour.  The extra bleaching produces whiter and softer bao. If you don't like the idea of using bleached flour, you can substitute with cake flour (or even plain flour) and some wheat starch.  The end result is still good except the bao won't turn out super white.  Refer to my Vegetarian Steamed Buns.

Recipe source:  No-Frills Recipe's Steamed Bun [with slight changes]

Starter Dough:

130g Hong Kong flour/bao flour
2.5 tsp (9g) dried instant yeast
110g lukewarm water

• Sift flour into a mixing bowl and add in yeast.  Using a spoon, mix until well blended. 
• Add in water and stir to form a dough. Cover with clingwrap and set aside for 20 mins.

Main Dough:

370g Hong Kong flour/bao flour

2-1/8 tsp (9g) baking powder

100g caster sugar

1/2 tsp (4g) salt

135g fresh milk

25g rice bran oil (or vegetable oil)

• Sift flour and baking powder together into a mixer bowl.  Add in sugar, salt and all the starter dough. Using the dough hook attached to the mixer, incorporate everything.
• Gradually add in milk (do not pour in all the milk at once; adjust accordingly).  Knead until well combined. 
• Then add in oil and continue to knead until dough is smooth and elastic and leaves the sides of the bowl.
• Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a bowl, covered and allow it to rise until double in size (2 hours).
• Punch down the dough and knead for a while. Divide the dough into 50g portions (makes 17 portions), shape each portion into a ball and cover with a damp cloth.  Rest for 10 minutes. 
• Take a ball of dough and flatten into a circle.  Spoon cha siew filling onto the centre of the circle.  Pleat the dough to seal and place on a square piece of baking paper.  Rest the buns for 15 minutes before steaming.
• Arrange buns on a steamer, leaving a gap between the buns.  Spray water mist over buns.
• Steam the buns under rapidly boiling water on high heat for 10 - 12 minutes.
• Remove buns from steamer and cool on a wire rack.

Char Siew:

400g pork belly, remove skin
400g pork neck, cut into strips of about 2cm thick
1 tbsp oil
30g grated palm sugar
1 cup water

Marinade:

1/8 tsp five-spiced powder

1/2 tbsp garlic powder

dash of pepper

1 tbsp Chinese rose wine (or cooking wine)

2 tbsp oyster sauce

4 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil

• Marinate meat with all the marinade ingredients.  Cover and leave it overnight in the fridge.
• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan and put in all the marinated meat. Fry meat for about 5 minutes, turning halfway. Add in palm sugar and water and let it simmer under low heat until meat is tender. Spoon out most of the sauce into a bowl and set aside for later use **
• Under medium heat, cook the meat on both sides until they are glossy and the edges are slightly charred.  Remove meat from pan.
• Once the meat is cooled enough to handle, dice into small pieces. 

Char Siew Fillings:  

370g char siew, diced

1/2 tsp oil

5 tbsp char siew sauce (retained from the roasted pork **)

120 ml water + 1.5 tbsp cornstarch 

• Heat oil in a frying pan and put in all the diced char siew.  Add in all the char siew sauce and stir to combine.  
• Then pour in the cornstarch solution and stir until sauce thickens.
• Transfer onto a plate, cover and refrigerate overnight.  

Note:  The char siew fillings only enough to fill 14 baos.  So I made the other 3 bao into plain mantou (馒头).

 

Fresh Milk Mantou (鮮奶饅頭 )

 

Recipe adapted from  Carol Easy Life

(A)  Overnight Sponge Dough:

120g plain flour
1/4ts instant dried yeast
80g lukewarm water 

(B)  Main Dough:
100g Overnight Sponge Dough
225g plain flour
75g wheat starch
15g caster sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp instant dried yeast
180g fresh milk 
20g oil

• (A) Overnight Sponge Dough:  Mix everything together and knead into a smooth dough.  Cover and leave in the refrigerator overnight.
• In a mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine all the ingredients together, except oil.
• Knead until it forms a slightly sticky soft dough.  Gradually add in oil.  Continue to knead until smooth and doesn't stick to the sides of the bowl.
• Shape the dough  into a smooth ball and place in a greased  bowl.  Cover with  cling wrap.  Then place it in a warm and moist place to allow the dough to rise until doubled.
• Punch down by pressing the dough out evenly with your hands to release the air.
• Divide the dough into 12 equal portions.  Cover and set aside to rest for 10 minutes.
• Flatten the dough and roll into an oval shape.  Brush with oil and make a few slits (make sure you don't cut right up to the end of the dough); then twist it gently around your thumb and index finger and tuck the end underneath the bun. 
•  Place the bun onto a square piece of baking paper.  Repeat with the rest of the dough.  Cover and proof until almost doubled.  
• Steam mantou in medium-high heat for about 15 minutes. 

Wholemeal Mantou (全麥刈包)

 

 

Split mantou with Red-Cooked Pork Belly filling.



Recipe from: Carol's 全麥刈包

ed Mantou makes for a wonderful breakfast or even a snack and is often eaten plain. You can also serve the Mantou as a side dish with meat stew, curry or even a sauce dish.
Read more at http://www.ifood.tv/blog/how-to-eat-mantou#rpl8Rw5GRSAbSglh.99

Steamed Mantou makes for a wonderful breakfast or even a snack and is often eaten plain. You can also serve the Mantou as a side dish with meat stew, curry or even a sauce dish.  Nowadays they are also served as fast food or with a spicy dip made with chili crab. Deep fried Mantou is usually served as a dessert with sweet condensed milk dip on the side.

Read more at http://www.ifood.tv/blog/how-to-eat-mantou#rpl8Rw5GRSAbSglh.99

Steamed Mantou makes for a wonderful breakfast or even a snack and is often eaten plain. You can also serve the Mantou as a side dish with meat stew, curry or even a sauce dish.  Nowadays they are also served as fast food or with a spicy dip made with chili crab. Deep fried Mantou is usually served as a dessert with sweet condensed milk dip on the side.

Read more at http://www.ifood.tv/blog/how-to-eat-mantou#rpl8Rw5GRSAbSglh.99

Steamed Mantou makes for a wonderful breakfast or even a snack and is often eaten plain. You can also serve the Mantou as a side dish with meat stew, curry or even a sauce dish.  Nowadays they are also served as fast food or with a spicy dip made with chili crab. Deep fried Mantou is usually served as a dessert with sweet condensed milk dip on the side.

Read more at http://www.ifood.tv/blog/how-to-eat-mantou#rpl8Rw5GRSAbSglh.99

Steamed Mantou makes for a wonderful breakfast or even a snack and is often eaten plain. You can also serve the Mantou as a side dish with meat stew, curry or even a sauce dish.  Nowadays they are also served as fast food or with a spicy dip made with chili crab. Deep fried Mantou is usually served as a dessert with sweet condensed milk dip on the side.

Read more at http://www.ifood.tv/blog/how-to-eat-mantou#rpl8Rw5GRSAbSglh.99
Ingredients:  (Makes 12)

Ingredients:

250g plain flour
50g wholemeal flour
15g caster sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp instant dried yeast
1 egg
130g water
20g oil

squares of baking paper

• In a mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine all the ingredients together, except oil.
• Knead until it forms a slightly sticky soft dough.  Gradually add in oil.  Continue to knead until dough is smooth and leave the sides of the bowl.
• Shape the dough  into a smooth ball and place in a greased  bowl.  Cover with  cling wrap.  Then place it in a warm and moist place to allow the dough to rise until doubled.
• Punch down by pressing the dough out evenly with your hands to release the air.
• Divide the dough into 12 equal portions.  Cover and set aside to rest for 10 minutes.
• Flatten the dough and roll into an oval shape.  Brush with oil and fold into half.  Place the bun onto a square piece of baking paper.  Repeat with the rest of the dough.  Cover and proof until almost doubled.  
• Steam mantou in medium-high heat for about 12 minutes. 

Vegetarian Steamed Buns

Adapted from here.

Ingredients:

300g plain flour, sifted
90g wheat starch, sifted
2 tsp yeast
50g caster sugar
1/2 tsp lemon juice
180ml lukewarm water
 3 tbsp Rice Bran oil
2 tsp baking powder + 10ml cold water

• Combine together plain flour, wheat starch, sugar and yeast in the mixing bowl of an electric stand mixer attached with dough hooks.
• Pour in lemon juice and lukewarm water.  Knead until combined.
• Add in oil and knead until the dough is soft and smooth.
• Cover the dough with damp cloth or clingfilm and leave it in a warm place to rise until it is doubled in size.  
• Dissolve baking powder in cold water and sprinkle over the dough.  Knead well to combine.  (Note:  Make sure that the baking powder is fully dissolved and kneaded well into the dough, otherwise there will be yellowish spots on the steamed buns).
• Divide the dough into 13 equal portions (about 50g each). Roll each piece into a ball and cover with a damp cloth.  Rest for 10 minutes.
• Flatten the dough, wrap about a tablespoon of filling in the centre.  Pleat the dough to seal.  Place it on a square baking paper  and rest for 10 minutes before steaming.
• Arrange buns on a steamer, leaving a gap between the buns.  Spray water mist over buns.  
• Steam in a preheated steamer on high heat for 12 - 13 minutes. (Note:   Add several drops of white vinegar into the steaming water to produce whiter buns).
• Remove buns from steamer and cool on a wire rack.

Fillings:

500g jicama (yam bean), juliened
50g dried shrimps, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper, to taste
oil
2 tsp cornflour + 1 tbsp water  (thickener)

• Heat oil and saute the garlic and dried shrimps until aromatic.
• Add in jicama and fry until soft.
• Season with salt and lots of white pepper.  Add in cornflour mixture to thicken.
• Set aside to cool.

Steamed Chicken Buns

Ingredients:
                                                                             
1 packet of 397g premix bun (pau)  flour
3/4 cup lukewarm milk
1/2 cup sugar

• Follow the instructions on the packet - mix flour with milk and sugar, then knead dough for 10 minutes.  Add 1 tbsp of oil and continue to knead for another 10 minutes.  
• Cover the dough and set aside to proof  for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile prepare the fillings.

Fillings:

300g chicken thigh fillet, diced

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced finely

1 tsp minced ginger

2 tbsp chopped water chestnuts

3 tbsp coriander/chinese parsley leaves, chopped

2 tsp cornflour + 1 tbsp water

Marinade for chicken:

1 tsp sesame oil

1/2 tbsp rose wine/ chinese wine

1/2 tbsp oyster sauce

1/2 tbsp light soy sauce

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp sugar

1 tsp cornflour

• Heat oil and fry the onion and garlic.  Add in the marinated chicken and water chestnuts. 
• Add in cornflour mixture to thicken.  
• Then add in parsley leaves and stir to combine.  Transfer onto a plate and cool.
• Divide fillings into 12 portions.

To make buns:

• Divide the dough into 12 pieces.
• Flatten and wrap a portion of the filling in the centre and seal by pleating the edges.
• Set bun on a square piece of baking paper and leave for 10 minutes.
• Place a bamboo steamer over a pot of rapidly boiling water (add 2 tbsp white vinegar into the water to whiten the buns).
• Steam over high heat for 13 minutes.
• Remove buns from the steamer and serve hot.