Cantonese Steamed Buns Filled with Char Siu Pork

What you need

• 300 g (2 1/3 cups) low-protein flour, bao or cake flour; plain flour works
• 1 tsp instant yeast
• 60 g (1/2 cup) icing sugar
• 150 ml (2/3 cup) lukewarm water
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 20 g (1 1/2 tbsp) vegetable shortening, or lard
• 1 pinch salt
• 300 g (10 oz) char siu, Cantonese roast pork made from pork shoulder, homemade or from a Chinese barbecue shop
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp cornflour, cornstarch
• 120 ml (1/2 cup) chicken stock, or water
• 1 tsp sesame oil

Method

Restated from the original video

1. 1

   Stir the yeast into the lukewarm water and leave until foamy, 5 min.

2. 2

   In a large bowl, combine the flour, icing sugar and salt. Pour in the yeast mixture and mix into a shaggy dough.

3. 3

   Add the shortening and knead on a clean surface until the dough is smooth and springy, 8-10 min.

4. 4

   Cover the bowl and leave the dough in a warm spot until doubled, 60-90 min.

5. 5

   Meanwhile, cut the char siu into 1 cm (1/2 in) dice. The pork is already cooked through, so the steaming only has to heat it.

6. 6

   Whisk the oyster sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, hoisin sauce, honey, cornflour and stock in a small bowl.

7. 7

   Heat the oil in a wok over medium heat and fry the shallot until soft, 1-2 min.

8. 8

   Pour in the sauce mixture and stir until it boils and turns thick and glossy, about 1 min.

9. 9

   Take the wok off the heat, fold in the char siu and sesame oil, and spread the filling on a plate to cool completely.

10. 10

    Punch down the dough, flatten it, sprinkle the baking powder over and knead for 3-4 min until it disappears into the dough.

11. 11

    Shape the dough into a long rope, slice it into 12 equal pieces and rest them under a cloth for 10 min.

12. 12

    Roll each piece into a 10 cm (4 in) round, thinner at the edge than the middle.

13. 13

    Spoon about 25 g of filling into the centre, gather the edge in pleats and pinch to close. Set each bun on a square of baking paper.

14. 14

    Leave the buns in the steamer basket to rise for 15-20 min, spaced about 3 cm (1 in) apart.

15. 15

    Steam over rapidly boiling water until puffed and the tops have split slightly, 10-12 min.

16. 16

    Turn off the heat and wait 2 min before lifting the lid so the buns do not collapse. Serve warm.

Imported from tasteasianfood.com. Recipe Grab pulled out what you need to cook it; the video stays where its author put it.