Char Siu Bao

Steamed pork buns are known as Char Siu Bao. Steamed buns stuffed with char siu or Chinese BBQ pork.

 Chinese BBQ pork or char siu is served on fluffy steamed buns. It’s easy to make the most delicate char siu bao when sticking to the tried-and-true methods.

Cha Siu Bao (other spellings include Cha Siu Bao and Char Siew Bao) is a distinctive dish at dim sum restaurants worldwide.

They are known as cha shao bao in Chinese and are a Chinatown staple! Cha Siu Bao is a dish that originated in Guangzhou, mainland China.

These Cantonese steamed pork buns are served in various Cantonese-Chinese dim sum eateries.

Consider tender, fluffy white steamed buns filled with savory char siu or Chinese BBQ pork stuffing and drizzled with a sweet and flavorful char siu sauce; they are incredibly delectable!

To make handmade steamed buns that are soft and fluffy, use low-gluten flour and wheat starch.

In Malaysia, low-gluten flour is referred to as Hong Kong Flour, and it is readily available in supermarkets.

If you cannot locate Hong Kong flour, cake flour is substituted. The end product will be softer and fluffier steamed buns compared to all-purpose flour.

To create char siu bao or steamed pork buns worthy of a dim sum restaurant, please follow the cooking methods below:

Divide dough into 12 equal parts if a larger bun is needed.

After adding the baking powder, there is no need to rest the char siu bao dough. Rest it for 10 minutes if time permits to achieve fluffier buns.

To obtain whiter buns, add Chinese white vinegar to the heating water. This is an entirely optional step.

Before steaming the buns, the steamer must be warmed. Without the heated steam, they will not rise correctly.

Spraying the buns’ surface with water mist assists in producing steamed buns with a lovely and smooth surface.

DURING THE STEAMING PROCESS, DO NOT OPEN THE STEAMER’S LID.

If the steamed buns have yellowish patches, the baking powder has not been completely dissolved.

I would not advocate freezing these, but they will store well in the refrigerator.

Refrigerate the leftovers in a plastic bag for up to a week.

To serve, reheat them for 1 minute in a steamer or microwave.

For the most excellent results, use handmade char siu for the filling. Additionally, you may utilize char siu from restaurants.

Each bun contains a mere 193 calories. Serve this alongside other Cantonese dim sum or Chinese hors d’oeuvres. 

INGREDIENTS:

FILLING OF CHAR SIU:

• 1 tsp cooking oil
• 250 g 1 small onion, chopped (9 oz.) diced char siu
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sauce oyster
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp sesame seed oil
• 1-2 drops optional red food coloring
• Season with salt to taste
• 1 and 1/2 tbsp corn starch
• 150 milliliters water

DOUGH OF CHAR SIU BAO:

• Low-protein flour (Hong Kong flour) (an alternative is cake flour or all-purpose flour) 280 g (10 oz).
• a hundred grams (3.5 oz.) starch from wheat
• 89 g (3 oz.) granulated sugar
• 0.8 g (1 scant tablespoon) yeast that is active dry or yeast that is instantaneous
• lukewarm water 160 ml
• Optional: 1/2 teaspoon Chinese white vinegar or lemon juice
• 30 gram (2 tablespoons) veg oil
• ten grams (2 teaspoons) baking soda
• 10 milliliters (2 teaspoons) icy water

INSTRUCTIONS:

FILLING FOR CHAR SIU

1. Heat oil in a skillet and sauté onion for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the char siu, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, sesame oil, and, if using, the red food color. Stir fry for 1-2 minutes and season to taste with salt.
2. Combine corn starch and water in a small bowl and add to the filling. Reduce to low heat setting and simmer until the sauce thickens about 15 minutes.
3. Take the filling out of the pan. Allow cooling.
4. Dividing the filling into sixteen equal parts. Place aside.

RECIPE FOR CHAR SIU BAO DOUGH:

1. Flour, wheat starch, and powdered sugar should all be sifted. Transfer to a mixing bowl that is large enough to hold all of the ingredients. In the center of the flour mixture, make a well and add the yeast, lukewarm water, and, if used, vinegar or lemon juice. Gently dissolve the yeast. Slowly combine the flour mixture and vegetable oil.
2. Using your hands, knead for 15 minutes or until a soft dough forms. Its surface should be smooth and lustrous.
3. Then cover the dough with a moist towel and set aside for 60 – 90 minutes, or until the dough doubles in size.
4. Combine the baking powder and cold water in a small bowl and sprinkle over the dough, kneading until thoroughly incorporated. Rest the dough for 10 minutes after adding the baking powder for fluffier buns.
5. Divide the dough into 16 equal sections using a knife. Roll and flatten each dough ball (preferably a 3″ circle) using a rolling pin. Fill the center with a bit of the filling.
6. Wrap and fold the dough into a ball.
7. Pinch and twist the aperture shut. Assure that the char siu bao is completely sealed at the top. Place the char siu bao on a piece of parchment paper that measures 2″ x 3″. Rep till you have 16 buns.
8. Arrange the buns on a steamer, leaving approximately a 1″ space between each bun. Mist water mist over buns and steam for 10 minutes in a warmed steamer on high heat. (You may use 1 teaspoon Chinese white vinegar for the water in the char siu bao.)
9. Take the buns out of the steamer and serve warm.