Cooking At Home Professionally

There’s something incredibly satisfying about creating a beloved dish from scratch, especially when it’s as delightful as Char Siu Bao. These fluffy, steamed buns filled with succulent barbecue pork have been a favorite in Chinese cuisine for centuries. Today, we’re embarking on a culinary journey to master the art of making Char Siu Bao from scratch in your own kitchen. Get ready to knead, marinate, and savor the irresistible flavors of homemade Char Siu Bao.

Ingredients:

Before we dive into the steps, let’s gather the ingredients you’ll need for both the dough and the filling:

For the Dough:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• A pinch of salt

For the Filling:

• 1 lb char siu (Chinese barbecue pork), diced into small pieces
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 1/4 cup oyster sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon five-spice powder
• 1/2 cup diced onions
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water (for thickening)

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Dough:

• Dissolve the sugar in warm water and sprinkle the yeast over it. Allow it to activate for about 5-10 minutes until it becomes frothy.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and a pinch of salt.
• Gradually add the yeast mixture, warm milk, and vegetable oil to the flour. Stir until a sticky dough forms.
• Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 10 minutes until it’s smooth and elastic.
• Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a damp cloth, and let it rest for 1-2 hours until it doubles in size.

2. Prepare the Filling:

• Heat the vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat.
• Sauté the diced onions and minced garlic until fragrant.
• Add the diced char siu and cook for a few minutes.
• In a separate bowl, mix the hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, five-spice powder, and water.
• Pour the sauce mixture over the char siu and simmer until the sauce thickens with the cornstarch-water mixture. Remove from heat and let it cool.

3. Assemble the Char Siu Bao:

• Punch down the risen dough and divide it into equal-sized portions (about 16).
• Roll each portion into a small disc, leaving the center thicker than the edges.
• Spoon a generous tablespoon of the char siu filling into the center of each dough round.
• Pleat the edges of the dough up over the filling, sealing the bun.
• Place each bun on a small square of parchment paper.

4. Steam the Buns:

• Arrange the buns in a steamer, leaving space between each bun.
• Steam the buns for about 15-20 minutes until they puff up and become fluffy.

There’s something incredibly satisfying about creating a beloved dish from scratch, especially when it’s as delightful as Char Siu Bao. These fluffy, steamed buns filled with succulent barbecue pork have been a favorite in Chinese cuisine for centuries. Today, we’re embarking on a culinary journey to master the art of making Char Siu Bao from scratch in your own kitchen. Get ready to knead, marinate, and savor the irresistible flavors of homemade Char Siu Bao.

Ingredients:

Before we dive into the steps, let’s gather the ingredients you’ll need for both the dough and the filling:

For the Dough:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• A pinch of salt

For the Filling:

• 1 lb char siu (Chinese barbecue pork), diced into small pieces
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 1/4 cup oyster sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon five-spice powder
• 1/2 cup diced onions
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water (for thickening)

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Dough:

• Dissolve the sugar in warm water and sprinkle the yeast over it. Allow it to activate for about 5-10 minutes until it becomes frothy.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and a pinch of salt.
• Gradually add the yeast mixture, warm milk, and vegetable oil to the flour. Stir until a sticky dough forms.
• Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 10 minutes until it’s smooth and elastic.
• Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a damp cloth, and let it rest for 1-2 hours until it doubles in size.

2. Prepare the Filling:

• Heat the vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat.
• Sauté the diced onions and minced garlic until fragrant.
• Add the diced char siu and cook for a few minutes.
• In a separate bowl, mix the hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, five-spice powder, and water.
• Pour the sauce mixture over the char siu and simmer until the sauce thickens with the cornstarch-water mixture. Remove from heat and let it cool.

3. Assemble the Char Siu Bao:

• Punch down the risen dough and divide it into equal-sized portions (about 16).
• Roll each portion into a small disc, leaving the center thicker than the edges.
• Spoon a generous tablespoon of the char siu filling into the center of each dough round.
• Pleat the edges of the dough up over the filling, sealing the bun.
• Place each bun on a small square of parchment paper.

4. Steam the Buns:

• Arrange the buns in a steamer, leaving space between each bun.
• Steam the buns for about 15-20 minutes until they puff up and become fluffy.

There’s something incredibly satisfying about creating a beloved dish from scratch, especially when it’s as delightful as Char Siu Bao. These fluffy, steamed buns filled with succulent barbecue pork have been a favorite in Chinese cuisine for centuries. Today, we’re embarking on a culinary journey to master the art of making Char Siu Bao from scratch in your own kitchen. Get ready to knead, marinate, and savor the irresistible flavors of homemade Char Siu Bao.

Ingredients:

Before we dive into the steps, let’s gather the ingredients you’ll need for both the dough and the filling:

For the Dough:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• A pinch of salt

For the Filling:

• 1 lb char siu (Chinese barbecue pork), diced into small pieces
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 1/4 cup oyster sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon five-spice powder
• 1/2 cup diced onions
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water (for thickening)

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Dough:

• Dissolve the sugar in warm water and sprinkle the yeast over it. Allow it to activate for about 5-10 minutes until it becomes frothy.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and a pinch of salt.
• Gradually add the yeast mixture, warm milk, and vegetable oil to the flour. Stir until a sticky dough forms.
• Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 10 minutes until it’s smooth and elastic.
• Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a damp cloth, and let it rest for 1-2 hours until it doubles in size.

2. Prepare the Filling:

• Heat the vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat.
• Sauté the diced onions and minced garlic until fragrant.
• Add the diced char siu and cook for a few minutes.
• In a separate bowl, mix the hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, five-spice powder, and water.
• Pour the sauce mixture over the char siu and simmer until the sauce thickens with the cornstarch-water mixture. Remove from heat and let it cool.

3. Assemble the Char Siu Bao:

• Punch down the risen dough and divide it into equal-sized portions (about 16).
• Roll each portion into a small disc, leaving the center thicker than the edges.
• Spoon a generous tablespoon of the char siu filling into the center of each dough round.
• Pleat the edges of the dough up over the filling, sealing the bun.
• Place each bun on a small square of parchment paper.

4. Either steam the Buns:

• Arrange the buns in a steamer, leaving space between each bun.
• Steam the buns for about 15-20 minutes until they puff up and become fluffy.

5. Or bake the Buns:

• Preheat oven to 350
• Brush each bun with eggwash
• Bake on sheetpan for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown

Congratulations, you’ve just created your own batch of delicious Char Siu Bao from scratch! The combination of the soft, fluffy bun and the flavorful barbecue pork filling is simply irresistible. As you savor each bite, you’ll appreciate the time and effort that went into making these delightful treats. Share them with friends and family to spread the joy of homemade dim sum, or simply enjoy them as a satisfying snack. Homemade Char Siu Bao is a culinary adventure well worth embarking upon, and with practice, you’ll become a master of this Chinese classic. Happy cooking!