Chinese Pork Filled Buns Food

CHINESE STEAMED PORK BUNS

Steps:

• Yeast Activation: Place yeast, sugar and water in a small bowl. Mix, then set aside for 10 minutes until it becomes foamy.
• Place flour, cornflour and sugar in a stand mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook. Mix briefly to combine.
• Add yeast mixture, oil and water. Mix on low speed for 3 minutes until a smooth ball of dough forms. It should be soft and elastic, not so sticky it gets stuck all over your hands. Adjust with a touch of flour/water if required to get the dough consistency right.
• Cover with cling wrap and place in a warm dry place for 2 hours until it doubles in volume. (Note 3). Meanwhile, make Filling.
• Remove cling wrap, scatter over baking powder. Return to stand mixer and mix on low for 2 minutes.
• Turn dough out onto work surface, sprinkle with flour. Knead lightly to form a smooth round disc.
• Cut dough into 4 pieces. Take one piece, roll into an even log, cut into 3 pieces (so 12 pieces in total).
• Take one piece of dough, cover remaining with cling wrap or tea towel.
• Roll into round 4.5" / 11 cm in diameter, making the edges thinner.
• Place dough in hand, put 1 1/2 tbsp of Filling in the centre.
• Pinch 8 pleats around the edges. Then gather the pleats together one by one to seal the bun. Pinch the top the twist.
• Repeat with remaining dough - make 12 in total.
• Cover buns loosely with cling wrap and leave in a warm place for 15 minutes.
• Line a large bamboo steamer (or other steamer) with parchment paper punctured with holes (Note 4).
• Place 6 to 8 buns on paper, cover with steamer lid.
• Pour about 4 cm / 1 1/2 inches in a wok / pot (steamer should not touch water) and bring to rapid simmer over medium high.
• Place steamer in wok, then cook for 12 minutes. Check water halfway through, top up if required.
• Buns are ready when they spring back when touched, and the buns have formed a smooth skin.
• Remove steamer from wok, serve warm!
• Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add eschalots and cook for 2 minutes.
• Add sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil and water. Mix.
• While stirring, slowly pour cornflour mixture in. Mix until smooth.
• Stir in pork. Cook until sauce is thickened, 1 - 1 1/2 minutes (see video for consistency). Set aside to cool (thickens when cools).

CHINESE STEAMED BUNS WITH BBQ PORK FILLING

Steps:

• Mix together pork, barbecue sauce, shallots, flour, chicken stock, soy sauce, oil, and sugar. Chill in refrigerator for at least 6 hours.
• Preheat grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate. Cook the pork until an instant-read meat thermometer reaches 145 degrees F (63 degrees C). Allow to cool; shred or finely chop the meat.
• Prepare dough for Chinese Steamed Buns (see footnote).
• Shape dough into balls. Roll each out into a circle, (like won-ton wrappers). Put 1 tablespoonful of prepared meat mixture in the center of each circle, and wrap dough around filling. Place seam-side down onto wax paper squares. Let stand until doubled, about 30 minutes.
• Bring water to a boil in wok, and reduce heat to medium; the water should still be boiling. Place steam-plate on a small wire rack in the middle of the wok. Transfer as many buns on wax paper as will comfortably fit onto steam-plate, leaving 1 to 2 inches between the buns. At least 2 inches space should be left between steam-plate and the wok. Cover wok with lid. Steam buns over boiling water for 15 to 20 minutes.
• REMOVE LID BEFORE you turn off heat, or else water will drip back onto bun surface and produce yellowish "blisters" on bun surfaces. Continue steaming batches of buns until all are cooked.

CHINESE PORK-FILLED BUNS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in water; blend in sugar and oil. Let stand in a warm place until bubbly (about 15 minutes).
• Add flour mixed with the salt and mix until dough holds together. This can be done in a heavy duty mixer with the dough hook or kneaded by hand for 8 to 10 minutes.
• Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled in bulk (about 1 hour and 15 minutes).
• Meanwhile prepare the pork filling:.
• Combine the pork with garlic, ginger, sugar and soy sauce.
• Heat a fry pan or wok to medium high, add some oil and fry pork and onion until cooked through, turning down heat if necessary. Add the cooking sauce and cook until bubbling and hot.
• Cool completely.
• Turn dough out on floured board and knead for 1 minute. Divide into 12 even balls. With your hands make the dough ball into a 4 1/2" round, making the edges thinner then the rest of the round.
• Place about 2 tbs. filling in center of each round. Pull edges of dough up around filling and twist to seal. Place seam side down on a baking tray. Cover and let rise about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile preheat oven to350F and when puffy and light, brush with melted butter and bake for about 15 minutes.

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.

CHINESE STEAMED BUNS WITH BARBECUED PORK FILLING

Steps:

• Place the warm water in a large bowl, and sprinkle the yeast over the top. Stir in 1 cup of the flour, and mix thoroughly. Cover with a cloth, and let stand until bubbles appear, about 20 minutes.
• Dissolve sugar and shortening in boiling water, and allow to cool to lukewarm. Stir into the yeast mixture along with the remaining flour. When the dough becomes too stiff to stir, turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth, about 10 minutes. Coat a large bowl with sesame oil, and place the dough inside. Turn over to coat, and cover the bowl with a damp cloth. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add green onions and garlic, and stir-fry for about 30 seconds. Add pork, and fry for a minute, then stir in the soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar. Dissolve cornstarch in 2 tablespoons of water, then stir the mixture into the pork. Cook, stirring constantly until the pork is coated with a thickened glaze. Remove to a bowl, and allow to cool.
• Remove the dough from the bowl, and roll it out into one long log. Slice the log into 1 inch pieces. Flatten each piece into a 3 inch circle using the palm of your hand or a rolling pin. Place 2 tablespoons of the pork filling onto the center of each circle, and gather up the edges around the filling and pinch together to close the bun. Place each bun seam side down onto a square of aluminum foil. Cover with a towel, and let rise for about 1 hour.
• Bring a couple inches of water to boil in a wok. Place a few buns at a time in a steamer, such as a bamboo steamer for a wok, or a fitted steam tray. Cover, and steam buns over briskly boiling water for 10 minutes. Repeat with remaining buns.

STICKY PORK BELLY BAO BUNS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole dish over a medium-high heat. In batches, brown the pork belly well, then transfer to a plate. Tip the sugar into the dish and cook over a medium heat until starting to dissolve and caramelise, then quickly stir in the garlic, ginger and star anise, and cook for 1 min.
• Carefully pour in the rice wine and soy sauce - watch out, it will spatter - and simmer to dissolve the sugar. Stir the pork into the caramel to coat, then add 100ml water and the five-spice, and bring to a simmer. Put the lid on and cook in the oven for 1 hr 30 mins. Remove from the oven, uncover, put on a high heat to simmer and reduce the sauce until sticky. Can be prepared up to 2 days ahead and chilled. Reheat with a splash of water.
• To make the chilli peanuts, mash most of the peanuts using a pestle and mortar, then add the rest of the nuts and roughly crush for a chunky texture. Stir through the togarashi powder. Can be made 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container.
• For the buns, tip the dry ingredients and a large pinch of salt into a food mixer fitted with a dough hook. Pour in the milk, oil and 100ml tepid water, and work the mixture for about 10 mins until smooth and elastic. Transfer to a greased bowl, cover with cling film and leave to double in size (for about 1 hr)
• Tip the dough onto a floured surface and roll into a sausage shape. Cut the sausage into 10 equal portions. Roll each portion into a bun, then use a rolling pin to roll each bun out into an oval. Lightly grease each one, then fold them over a greased chopstick or skewer and place on a lightly oiled baking tray to rest for 1 hr or until doubled in size. Remove the chopstick or skewer before steaming.
• Heat a steamer and steam the buns on circles of baking parchment in batches for about 10 mins until puffed up. Split the buns and stuff each one with a slice or two of the pork, drizzled with some of the sauce. Scatter over some coriander, cucumber and spring onions, then sprinkle with the crushed nuts and tuck in.