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CHAR SIU BAO - CHINESE DIM SUM - BARBECUED PORK IN A STEAMED BUN
Best known as an item for a Chinese luncheon dish and one of many varieties of "Dim Sum" (Cantonese). Translation: "Bits That Touch The Heart".
One of the many dishes you will be offered for a "Hong Kong" style Chinese luncheon where the items on the menu are collectively called "Dim Sum". Here you will find hundreds of Dim Sum aficionados gathered in large dining rooms, and ladies with push carts almost screaming out names of the dishes while hawking some of the most delightful morsels of Chinese steamed, fried and baked items for you to try. These delectable morsels are served on small individual plates with usually 3-6 of the same items on each plate. Each plate has a price coding or color marking so the young ladies (waitresses) will know at the end of your lunch, just how much each plate was worth and what the final total of the bill will amount to. The beauty of this is you can just keep ordering small plates of Dim Sim to your hearts delight. Surprisingly, the final bill is usually much less than you would imagine.
INGREDIENTS:Makes 24 buns
BASIC BUN RECIPE:Makes 24 buns
• 1 package dried yeast or 1 cake fresh yeast
• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 4½ cups flour
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons Crisco or vegetable oil
• ½ cup boiling water
• 2 tablespoons sesame seed oil
BUN MAKING DIRECTIONS:
1. Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water. Add 1 cup of flour. Mix thoroughly. Cover with cloth. Let rise 1
hour until bubbles appear.
2. Dissolve sugar and vegetable oil in ½ cup boiling water. Stir well. Cool until lukewarm. Pour into
yeast mixture. Add 3½ cups flour.
3. Knead dough on lightly floured board until smooth. Put into extra large, greased bowl in a warm
place. Cover with damp cloth. Let rise until double in bulk, about 2 hours.
4. Divide into 2 portions. Remove first portion and knead 2 minutes. Repeat with second. Roll each into
roll 12 inches long and 2 inches wide. Cut into 12 pieces (24 total).
5. Flatten each piece with palm of hand. Roll with rolling pin into 3 inch circles.
6. Brush with sesame seed oil. Indent middle of circle with chopstick. Fold circle in half so that it
becomes a half moon. Crimp edges tightly with fork.
7. Place each roll on separate square piece of foil** on steamer tray. Cover tray with towel. Let buns rise
to double in bulk, about 30 minutes. Remove towel.
FILLING INGREDIENTS:Makes 24 buns
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 scallion, chopped fine
• 1 clove garlic, chopped fine
• ½ pound barbecued pork cut into small cubes**CHAR SIU (Chinese BBQ Pork) RECIPE
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water or chicken stock
PREPARATION:
1. Steam, tightly covered, over briskly boiling water for 10 minutes. Serve with Peking Duck, Crispy
Duck, or with any filling you desire. May be prepared in advance. May be frozen. Thaw out in
plastic bag and re-steam 10 minutes.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in wok. Stir fry scallion and garlic 30 seconds. Add pork. Stir fry 1 minute.
Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar.
3. Pour in dissolved cornstarch. Stir fry quickly until pork is glazed. Remove to bowl and allow to cool.
4. On a floured board, knead dough 1 minute and roll into one long, sausage-like roll 2 inches in
diameter.
5. Slice the roll crosswise into 1 inch pieces.
6. Flatten each piece with the palm of your hand and roll with rolling pin into 3 inch rounds.
7. Place 2 tablespoons of filling in center of each round.
8. Gather dough up around the filling by pleating along the edges.
9. Bring the pleats up and twist securely and firmly.
10. Place each bun on 2 inch square of aluminum foil on steamer tray. Cover with a towel. Let rise 1
hour, until dough springs back when touched with finger. Remove towel.
11. Steam over briskly boiling water 10 minutes.
12. May be prepared in advance. May be frozen. Thaw out in plastic bag and resteam 10 minutes.
COOKS NOTE**
Parchment paper can be used instead of foil. Parchment paper is more esthetic when presented on a plate.
COOKS NOTE**
Parchment paper can be used instead of foil. Parchment paper is more esthetic when presented on a plate.
