Cha Sui Bao (Baked Barbecued Pork Buns)

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.03

Title: CHA SUI BAO (BAKED BARBECUED PORK BUNS)
Categories: China, Ham/pork
Yield: 20 Servings

1 tb Grated ginger
1 tb Oyster sauce
1 tb Hoisin sauce
1 tb Dark soy sauce
2 tb Sugar
3/4 c Water
1 tb Peanut or corn oil
1 c Finely chopped onion
3 c Cantonese barbecue pork, in
-1/2-inch dice (about 1-lb.)
1 tb Cornstarch mixed with 1
-tablespoon water
1 ts Sesame oil
2 Egg yolks
2 tb Water
1 ts Sugar
Chinese Baked Sweet Bread
-Dough (recipe follows)
1 pk Active dry yeast (1
-tablespoon)
3 tb Sugar
1 c Warm milk (100 to 110)
1 Egg
3/4 c Vegetable oil
3 1/2 c All-purpose flour, + more
-for dusting and kneading

Reheat in a 350 degree F. oven for 5 minutes, or
microwave at high about 1 minute.

Prepare bread dough. Cut out twenty 3-inch squares of
parchment paper. Mix together ginger, oyster sauce,
hoisin, dark soy, sugar and water in a bowl.

Heat a wok over medium-high heat. Add oil. When hot,
add onion; stir-fry until soft. Don't brown. Add pork
and stir-fry 30 seconds. Pour in sauce mixture, bring
to a boil. Stir cornstarch/water into a smooth
mixture. Add to pork; cook, stirring until thick,
about 15 seconds. Add sesame oil. Remove to bowl;
refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

Cut dough in half. Form each half into a 12-inch long
log; cut into 10 pieces. Roll each piece into a 4-inch
circle. Roll outer inch of each circle 1/8-inch thin;
leave middle slightly thicker.

If right-handed, place a dough circle in palm of your
left hand. Put a big tablespoon of pork mixture in the
; middle; put left thumb over the pork. With your
right hand, bring up edge and make a pleat in it.
Rotate circle a little and make a second pleat. As you
make each pleat, gently pull it up and around as if to
enclose your thumb. Continue rotating, pleating and
pinching, then gently twist into a spiral. Pinch to
seal. Place bun pleated side down on a parchment
square. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Put
buns 1 1/2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Let rise
until doubled in size, 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat egg yolks with
water and sugar; brush over buns. Bake 20 minutes.

Makes 20 buns.

CHINESE BAKED SWEET BREAD DOUGH

Chinese bread dough is quite sweet compared with
Western breads (the further south you go in China, the
sweeter the dough becomes). Most Chinese breads are
steamed, which is why they look pale and uncooked to
the Western eye.

Put the yeast and 1 tablespoon of the sugar in a small
bowl. Add 1/4 cup of the warm milk. Let stand 5
minutes, then stir to dissolve. If should foam and
bubble. If it does not, discard and use a fresh
package of yeast. Stir in the egg, oil and remaining
milk.

Put the flour and remaining sugar in the work bowl of
a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Process
2 seconds. With the machine running, pour the warm
milk mixture down the feed tube in a steady stream.
Process until it forms a rough ball. If ball is sticky
and wet, add a little more flour. Process a few
seconds longer, or until dough pulls away from the
sides of the bowl. Remove dough to a lightly floured
board.

Knead dough, dusting with flour to keep it from
sticking, until smooth and elastic, about 2 minutes.
Place in a large oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap
and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1
hour.

Punch down dough and place on a lightly floured
surface. It is now ready to form into rolls, buns or
loaves.

Makes enough for 20 barbecued pork buns. Joyce Jue,
San Francisco Chronicle, 1/8/92 Posted by Stephen
Ceideburg

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