Bao Buns, Char Siu Pork with a Secret Home Hack

Put 140 grams of filtered water into a bowl.

Add 14 grams of double cream and 14 grams of dried active yeast to the water.

Add 26 grams of caster sugar and mix well.

Leave the mixture to stand for five minutes to activate the yeast.

In a separate bowl, combine 240 grams of flour, 5 grams of salt, and 3 grams of baking powder, and mix well.

Add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture and mix until incorporated.

Knead the dough for about five minutes until it comes away from the sides of the bowl and develops gluten.

Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover with cling film, and leave to prove at room temperature (around 21 degrees) for 45 minutes, or until doubled in size.

While the dough is proving, make the char siu sauce by combining 20 grams of ginger and garlic paste, 30 grams of dark soy sauce, 4 grams of fish sauce, and 20 grams of corn flour in a bowl to form a paste.

In a pan, combine 40 grams of rice wine vinegar, 100 grams of caster sugar, 4 grams of smoked paprika, and 5 spice, and bring to a boil.

Once boiling, add the paste to the pan and boil for about a minute until thickened.

Slice chilies on the angle, place them in a bowl, cover with vinegar, and season with salt; leave to marinate.

Peel the carrots, slice them on a mandolin or with a vegetable peeler, and cut into thin strips (julienne).

Season the julienned carrots with salt and set aside.

Use pre-cooked pork, add char siu sauce, and mix well.

Once the dough has doubled in size, tip it out onto a bench and make a hole in the middle.

Stretch the dough to an even thickness, then cut into 50 gram pieces.

Roll each piece into a smooth ball and cover with cling film to prevent drying.

Prepare a bowl with oil and a pastry brush, and have greaseproof squares ready for shaping the buns.

Take a ball of dough, roll it out as far as possible, brush with oil, fold in half, and place on a greaseproof square.

Place the shaped buns into a tray, cover, and let them proof for another 45 minutes.

While the buns are proofing, boil water in a pan.

Load the buns into a bamboo steamer, cover, and steam for 15 minutes.

Once steamed, warm the pork and load it generously into the bao bun, topping with salted carrot, sliced spring onions, and pickled chili.

Add pickled magnolia for an extra touch, and secure with a skewer through both sides, topping with freshly picked coriander.

Equipment Needed

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