Inside these tender, steamed Chinese buns are succulent bits of tangy-sweet barbecued pork.
Barbecued pork buns: Re-take of classic Chinese takeout
The charming Chinese buns known
as "bao" are as wildly appealing to Asians as they are to Westerners. Stuffed with barbecued pork (charsui) or other tasty morsels, these little pocket breads are so delectable for breakfast, lunch, noshing
or entertaining, they'll have everyone clamouring for more.
Making a quantity of these filled buns is easier when you use a food processor to streamline the preparation and make them in stages over two days. Steaming the filled buns, pleated side up, makes them especially delicate and fluffy, like a tender dumpling. Baking them, pleated side down, gives them a softly rounded, golden-brown crust and is a good way to salvage any imperfectly shaped buns.
Once steamed or baked, the buns can be refrigerated for up to three days, or frozen for as long as three weeks: Steamed buns that have been refrigerated or frozen and thawed need about 10 minutes' steaming to reheat them. Baked buns that have been refrigerated or frozen and thawed take 10 to 15 minutes in a 350-degree oven.
SUCCESS TIP:
Hoisin sauce (a thick, reddish-brown condiment with a tangy-sweet flavour) and dark (roasted) sesame oil (used for seasoning) are available at most supermarkets and Chinese supermarkets.
Chinese Pork Buns (Sow Bow)
These versatile buns can be steamed or baked. For convenience, make the dough a day ahead, cover, and refrigerate it overnight. The next day allow it to warm for 2 hours at room temperature; then set it in a warm place to rise until doubled in bulk.
1 package (1 tbsp.) active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm (100 to 110ºF) water
1 tbsp. plus 1/3 cup sugar
3 1/2 cups flour, plus flour for
dusting and kneading
1 cup warm (100 to 110ºF) milk
or water
2 tsp. baking powder
Barbecued Pork Filling (see below)
20 pieces (each 3 inches square)
parchment paper
Vegetable cooking spray
EGG WASH FOR BAKED BUNS
1 beaten egg yolk
1 tbsp. water
1/2 tsp. sugar
METHOD
1. In a small bowl, sprinkle yeast over warm water. Add the 1 tablespoon sugar. Let stand until yeast bubbles (about 5 minutes).
2. In food processor fitted with a steel blade, combine the 3 1/2 cups flour and the 1/3 cup sugar. Process 2 seconds. Add yeast mixture. Process 3 seconds. With machine running, pour milk through feed tube in a steady stream. Process just until dough forms a rough ball that can be
handled without sticking. If dough sticks to work bowl, dust with a little more flour and process just until dough forms a ball.
3. Remove dough to lightly floured board; knead until smooth and elastic (about 2 minutes), dusting with flour to prevent sticking.
4. Place dough in large oiled bowl, cover with plastic film, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk (about 1 hour).
5. Punch down dough; place on lightly floured surface. Flatten dough; sprinkle baking powder into centre. Fold over edges of dough to enclose baking powder; knead thoroughly until baking powder is thoroughly incorporated and dough forms a smooth ball. Cover; let rest 10 minutes before shaping.
6. Divide dough in half; form each half into a 12-inch log. Cut each log into 10 pieces; flour each piece, then roll into 4-inch round. Using one end of a rolling pin, flatten a 1-inch perimeter to make a 1/8-inch-thick edge around the circumference of each round. The result will be an approximately 5-inch round that is thicker in the middle than at the edges.
7. Placing a round of dough in the palm of one hand, spoon a heaping tablespoon of chilled Barbecued Pork Filling into the centre. Bending the thumb over the filling to secure it, use the other hand to grasp the edges of the dough, pulling it up and over the filling and pressing the edges to create a thin fold or pleat.
8. Rotating the round of dough in the palm as you work, con-tinue pulling the dough up over the filling and pleating the edges until the filling is enclosed. Pinch topmost folds of pleats together, twisting at the top to enclose the pocket of filling.
9. If buns will be steamed, place each filled bun, pleated side up, on a 3-inch square of parchment paper that has been sprayed with vegetable cooking spray. Arrange them about 1 inch apart in bamboo steaming baskets or on steamer rack.
If buns will be baked, place buns, pleated side down, on the oiled parchment squares. Arrange about 1 inch apart on a baking sheet.
Cover buns with dampened towel; let rise until doubled in bulk (about 30 minutes).
10. For steamed buns, prepare a large lidded pot with water for steaming. When water is steaming, place steamer baskets or rack with raised buns into pot above the steaming water. Cover and steam over medium heat until buns are puffy and firm (about 20 minutes). Remove buns at once from pot or steamer.
For baked buns, preheat
oven to 325ºF. In a small bowl, mix ingredients for Egg Wash and brush over tops of raised buns. Bake 20 minutes until golden-brown.
Serve buns hot.
Makes about 20 Pork Buns.
Barbecued Pork Filling
Purchase Chinese-style barbecued pork from the supermarket deli counter or an Asian restaurant. Or make your own from recipes below.
3/4 cup water
1 tbsp. each Hoisin sauce
and soy sauce
2 tbsps. sugar
1 tbsp. peanut oil
1 lb. ready-to-eat Chinese
barbecued pork, chopped into
1/4-inch pieces (about 3 cups)
1 tbsp. cornstarch mixed with
1 tbsp. cold water
1 tsp. dark (roasted) sesame oil
METHOD
1. In a small bowl, combine the water, Hoisin sauce, soy sauce and sugar; set aside.
2. Preheat large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Pour in peanut oil; add pork and stir-fry 30 seconds. Add sauce mixture; bring to a boil. Add cornstarch mixture; stir continuously until sauce thickens (about 15 seconds). Stir in sesame oil. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until needed.
Makes enough to fill about 20 buns.
Chinese Barbecued Pork
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 in. fresh ginger,
finely chopped
2 escallions, trimmed
and chopped
2 lbs. pork tenderloins,
cut in 6-inch lengths
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tbsps. dry sherry
3 tbsps. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. Chinese Five-Spice
4 tbsps. honey, divided
METHOD
1. In a plastic resealable bag or shallow dish, mix the garlic, ginger, escallions, soy sauce, sherry, brown sugar, Chinese Five-Spice, 1 tablespoon of the honey, and pork.
2. Seal the bag or cover the pan and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. Turn the bag over or mix the pieces up several times while marinating.
3. Heat oven to 450 degrees F.
4. Line a shallow pan with foil for easy clean up, then place a rack on top. Add enough water to the pan to come 1/4-inch up the sides, but not enough to cover the rack.
5. Mix 3 tablespoons honey with 1 tablespoon of the marinade.
6. Place the pork pieces on the rack. Baste with the honey mixture.
7. Bake 30 minutes, basting every 10 minutes. Pork is done when it reaches 150ºF. inside and the interior is just slightly pink. Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.
SUCCESS TIP:
If tenderloin is too pricey, try pork loin. It's also lean but is less expensive than tenderloin.
