Cha Siew Pao Dough Recipes

CHAR SIU BAO (STEAMED PORK BUNS)

Steps:

• Heat oil in pan, sauté onion for 1 to 2 minutes. Add in char siu, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, sesame oil and red food color, if using. Stir fry for 1-2 minutes and add salt to taste.
• Mix corn starch and water together, add to the filling. Simmer on low heat until the sauce is thickened.
• Remove the filling from pan. Let cool.
• Divide the filling into 16 portions. Set aside.
• Sift the flour, wheat starch and powdered sugar. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and add the yeast, lukewarm water and vinegar or lemon juice, if using. Gently dissolve the yeast with the water. Slowly bring together the flour mixture and add in the vegetable oil.
• Knead with hands for 15 minutes or until a soft dough is formed. It should be smooth and shiny on the surface.
• Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let rise for 60 - 90 minutes or until it expands in size.
• Dissolve the baking powder with the cold water, sprinkle over the dough and knead until well combined. For fluffier buns, rest the dough for 10 minutes after baking powder is added.
• Cut and divide the dough to 16 equal portions.
• Using a rolling pin, roll and flatten each dough ball to a 3" circle. Place a portion of the filling in the middle.
• Wrap and fold the dough up.
• Pinch and twist to enclose the opening. Make sure the char siu bao is sealed tight at the top. Place it on a 2" x 3" piece of parchment paper. Repeat the same until you make 16 buns.
• Arrange the buns on a steamer, leave about 1" gap in between buns. Spray water mist over buns, and steam in a preheated steamer on high heat for 10 minutes. (You may add 1 teaspoon of Chinese white vinegar to make the char siu bao white.)
• Remove buns from the steamer, serve warm.

CHAR SIU BAO RECIPE

Steps:

• Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a pan or wok, sauté the onion for 1 to 2 minutes until soft and transparent. Add the diced chicken breast meat and sauté until the chicken is cooked.
• Add the remaining ingredients. Stir and cook until the gravy thickens.
• Transfer to a plate and let it cool.
• Dissolve the dry yeast in water.
• Add 200g of pao flour and icing sugar. Mix well and cover for an hour.
• Add the ingredients under the title 'Other ingredients of the dough' into the starter mixture and knead for 8 to 10 minutes.
• Cover the dough with a piece of damp cloth and let it proves for 30 minutes, or until the size has doubled.
• Divide the dough into 50g portions. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
• Flatten the dough with a rolling pin to form a circle of 8-10 cm in diameter. Place 30g of filling in the middle, wrap and pleat the dough to seal. Place it on a 1.5 inches (4cm) square baking paper, sealed side up. Rest for 15 minutes before steaming.
• Place the Char Siu Pao in a steamer, leave about 2-3 cm gap in between each Char Siu Pao. Steam in a preheated steamer on high heat for 8 minutes.
• Remove the Char Siu Pao immediately from the steamer and cool them on a rack to prevent the bottom of the Char Siu Pao from becoming soggy.

CHINESE PORK BUNS (CHA SIU BAO)

Steps:

• Dissolve 1/4 cup sugar in 1 3/4 cups warm water, and then add the yeast. Let stand for 10 minutes, or until mixture is frothy. Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Stir in 2 tablespoons shortening and the yeast mixture; mix well.
• Knead the dough until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a greased bowl, and cover it with a sheet of cling wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place for about 2 hours, or until it has tripled in bulk.
• Cut the pork into 2 inch thick strips. Use fork to prick it all over. Marinate for 5 hours in a mixture made with 1 1/2 tablespoons light soy sauce, 1 1/2 tablespoons hoisin sauce, and 1 teaspoon sweet soy sauce. Grill the pork until cooked and charred. Cut roasted port into 1/2 inch cubes.
• Combine 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce, oyster sauce, and 1 cup water in a saucepan. Bring to the boil. Mix cornstarch with 2 1/2 tablespoons water; add to the saucepan, and stir until thickened. Mix in 2 tablespoons lard or shortening, sesame oil, and white pepper. Cool, and mix in the roasted pork.
• Remove the dough from the bowl, and knead it on a lightly floured surface until it is smooth and elastic. Roll the dough into a long roll, and divide it into 24 pieces. Flatten each piece with the palm of the hand to form a thin circle. The center of the circle should be thicker than the edge. Place one portion of the pork filling in the center of each dough circle. Wrap the dough to enclose the filling. Pinch edges to form the bun. Let the buns stand for 10 minutes.
• Steam buns for 12 minutes. Serve.

CHAR SIEW PAU

Steps:

• Mix all the ingredients into a dough and leave at room temperature for 24 hours, covered with a piece of cloth.
• It should become foamy and smell tangy and yeasty.
• If the starter dough is not going to be used within the next 24 hours, it will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.
• To use, remove from the refrigerator 5 hours ahead.
• Make a well in the middle of the Hong Kong flour and add in the starter dough.
• Pour in some water and mix in a circular motion, adding water bit by bit.
• Knead until smooth.
• Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl; turn dough so that the oiled surface is facing upwards.
• Wrap bowl with cling film and keep in a cool place for 10 hours.
• Place the dough and sugar in a mixing bowl.
• Using the dough hook, mix on low speed for 1 minute, or until sugar is dissolved and the dough is smooth.
• Tip in half the Hong Kong flour and half the baking powder. Mix well.
• Add shortening and ammonia.
• Mix for 10 seconds and add the remaining flour and baking powder.
• Add water and mix until smooth.
• Set aside, covered.
• Allow to rest for 1 hour before use.
• Heat the oil in a wok and add the shallots, onion, ginger and spring onions.
• Fry for about 3 minutes until fragrant and golden.
• Turn off the heat and strain the oil.
• Return the oil to the wok.
• Over medium heat, stir-fry with the peanut butter and fermented soy bean paste.
• Add the combined sugar, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce and water.
• Bring to a boil and simmer for 3 minutes.
• Turn up the heat and pour in the tapioca, chestnut and corn flours followed by the water.
• Keep stirring continuously, as the mixture will thicken very fast.
• Stir for about 2 minutes until smooth.
• Transfer to a bowl and seal top with a layer of oil.
• Leave to cool overnight.
• Mix all ingredients together.
• Roll out the dough to resemble a sausage.
• Cut into nuggets of 20-30g each.
• Flatten lightly with your palm.
• Hold the flattened dough with your thumb and index finger and roll out the dough with a dim sum rolling pin until it forms a circle about 5cm in diameter.
• Scoop 1 heaped tablespoon (about 30g) of the filling onto the middle of a dough circle and pinch the edges together.
• Place the pau on a small square piece of parch.
• Leave to rise for 15 minutes.
• Steam pau over rapidly boiling water for 12 to 15 minutes.

CHAR SIU BAO (MANAPUA) AS MADE BY ZHE RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Make the bao dough: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, yeast, vegetable oil and ⅓ cup warm water and stir to combine. Slowly add the remaining 2 tablespoons of water, mixing constantly. Knead the dough in the bowl until smooth and well combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for about 1 hour, until doubled in size.
• Make the char siu filling: Dice the onion and chop the char sui into ½-inch pieces.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the char siu sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar.
• In a medium nonstick pan, sauté the onion over medium-low heat until translucent, 1 minute. Add the chopped char siu, sauce, and water. Stir to combine, then simmer until the sauce thickens, 2 minutes. Transfer the filling to a medium bowl and chill in the refrigerator for about 1 hour, until cool.
• After rising, punch the dough down and knead until it is back to its original size. On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into 5 48-gram balls. Flatten and roll out each portion, making sure the middle is thick while the sides are thin. Hold a dough round in the palm of your hand and add 36 grams of the char siu filling to the center. Use your other hand to pinch the edges of the dough together up and over the filling while rotating the bao in your hand.
• Place each bao on a small square of parchment paper. Set in a steamer basket, cover, and let rise for about 15 minutes, until slightly puffed, before steaming.
• Fill the bottom of a steamer or double boiler with water and bring to a boil. Add the steamer basket with the bao, cover, and steam for 15 minutes, then turn off the flame and let rest in the steamer for 5 minutes before serving.
• Enjoy!

CHA SIEW PAO DOUGH

Steps:

• 1. Proof yeast in water (110-115 degrees) with the sugar. Let stand 2 to 3 minutes until bubbly and doubled. 2. Sift 4 cups flour in to large bowl. Pour in Yeast mixture and the warm milk and mix until a dough forms Or mix ingredients in Cuisinart with plastic blade until the dough leaves the side of the bowl - adjust the liquid as necessary. 3. Put in oiled bowl (turn dough over to lightly oil the top), cover and let rest for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until doubled. 4. Punch dough down and let rise 20 to 30 minutes until doubled again. 5. Turn dough out on floured board and knead for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. 6. Divide in half, in half again until you have 12 pieces. The dough is ready for shaping and filling.