Siopao (Steamed Pork Buns)
Ingredients
Dough Filling
3 cups plain flour
1 tbsp baking powder
60 g (2 oz) lard
3/4 cup warm water
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
Filling
1 in piece green ginger
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp oil
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp hoi sin sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
3 tsp corn flour
4 shallots
8 oz Chinese barbecued pork
Instructions
Note: These buns are cooked in steamers available in sets of two or three racks. Chinese barbecued pork can be bought at Chinese food stores, or you can make your own - this is basically tocino - the recipe will come out soon! Be patient.
1. Place peeled and grated ginger, crushed garlic and oil in frying pan, saute gently for one minute. Add hoi sin sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce and sesame oil, simmer for two minutes, stirring constantly. Add combined water and cornflour, stir until sauce boils; reduce heat, simmer uncovered for two minutes. Add very finely chopped pork, stir until combined. Remove pan from heat, add finely chopped shallots, stir until combined. Allow pork mixture to become complete cold.
2. to make the dough, sift flour, salt and baking powder into bowl. Rub in softened lard until mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Add combined warm water and vinegar, stir to a soft but pliable dough. Turn out on to lightly flour surface; knead lightly. Cover dough with plastic food wrap, allow to stand for 20 minutes. Knead lightly. Cut dough into 12 equal portions. Roll each portion into a ball.
3. Take each ball of dough and roll out on floured surface to a 4 in circle. Brush edge lightly with water. Place one round of dough in palm of hand. Put one tablespoon of filling in center of round. Press edges of dough together.
4. Take the two ends of bun, bring them up over the pinched edge and twist together firmly. Cut 12 pieces of greaseproof paper into 5in squares. Brush one side lightly with oil. Place a bun upside down, so the smooth rounded side is uppermost, on each oiled piece of paper.
5. Choose a saucepan slightly smaller than the diamer of the steamer. Fill saucepan to about 1/3 full of water, bring to boil. Arrange buns on paper in single layer in steamer. If using steamer with two or three racks, fill remaining racks the same way. Plac eon top of first rack. Put lid on top. Steam over gently boiling water for 20 minutes.
