Char Siu pork bao

bao_buns_char_siu_pork.jpg

Makes 10

Preparation time: 10 minutes 
Marinating time: 1½ hours
Resting time:
1½ - 2½ hours 
Cooking time: 1½ hours 

Ingredients
600g of pork neck 
2 tbsp white vinegar 

Bao buns
530g of plain flour, plus extra for dusting 
½ tsp salt 
7g of fast-action dried yeast 
40g of caster sugar 
15g of baking powder 
50ml of milk 
200-250ml warm water 
25ml of vegetable oil 

Marinade 
4 cloves of finely chopped garlic 
2cm ginger, finely chopped  
½ tsp five spice 
½ tsp white pepper  
1 tbsp tomato purée 
4 tbsp hoisin sauce 
4 tbsp honey 
2 tsp dark soy sauce 
2 tbsp light soy sauce 
2 tbsp shaoxing rice wine 
2 tsp sesame oil 

Method
Mix the marinade ingredients and add the pork.  Leave for at least 1½ hours but up to overnight. 

Put the flour, baking powder, salt, yeast and sugar into a free-standing mixer fitted with a dough hook.  Turn on the mixer and very slowly add the milk, 25ml oil and 200ml of water and mix on low for 2 minutes. If the dough feels dry or isn’t mixing properly then add more water, a tbsp at a time.  Turn the mixer up to high and mix again for another 2 minutes until the dough is smooth and soft. 

Remove the dough from the bowl, rub the inside of the bowl with oil.  Dust the dough with flour and shape into a ball.  Put the dough back into the bowl, cover with a damp cloth and leave in a warm room for 1½- 2 hours until doubled in size.  I know when the dough is done when I push my finger in and it leaves a dent. 

Preheat the oven to 160c.  Put the meat on a tray and put into the oven for 1-1½ hours, basting every 20 minutes or so. 

Once the dough has doubled in size, cut the dough into 10 equal sized pieces, roll into a ball and with a rolling pin flatten - you want an elongated oval shape.  Once you have your shape, fold the dough over but don’t press down!  Cover with a damp tea towel and leave for another 15-20 minutes. 

To steam, half fill your wok with boiling water - you need enough to cook the buns but you don’t want the buns to touch the water.  Put the buns on a piece of parchment paper and put into your steamer, you don’t want them to touch as they do puff up.  These will take 12-15 minutes but, since you can’t lift the lid once you start to steam, I err on the side of caution and leave it closer to 15 minutes. 

Cut your pork and put into your buns. 

- Original recipe by Jeremy Pang and taken from Hong Kong Diner