Baked Chinese Pork Buns

2 halves of pork buns with 4 whole buns around them.

5 from 1 vote

Baked Chinese Pork Buns with leftover roast pork, a true Asian delicacy. These baked dim sums are a much simplified version of the popular char siu bao, and are perfect for your Chinese New Year celebrations, and best served with a hot cup of green tea. The buns are baked to perfection, and have the right ratio dough/filling. Great for any party all year round.

Prep Time30

Cook Time15

Proving Time2

Total Time2 45

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Chinese

Servings: buns

Calories: 125kcal

Author: Daniela Apostol

Ingredients

For the dough:

2 ¼ cups white bread flour
2 teaspoon dried fast-action yeast
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon caster sugar
⅔ cup warm water
3 tablespoon vegetable oil

For the filling:

2 cups leftover roast pork
2 spring onions
2 garlic clove
2 cm fresh ginger root
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
2 tablespoon light soy sauce
½ tablespoon white rice vinegar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
½ tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon caster sugar

To assemble

1 egg
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

To make the dough, combine the water, yeast, a tablespoon of flour and sugar and set aside for 10 minutes for the yeast mixture to become frothy.
In a large bowl, sift the flour, add the yeast mixture, oil and salt and knead well for about 5 minutes, until the dough becomes elastic and does not stick to the hands - use a bit more flour if necessary.
Shape the dough into a ball.
Lightly oil the bowl and the dough, cover with clingfilm and a clean tea towel and leave to prove in a warm place for 1-2 hours, until the dough doubles its volume.
Heat up the vegetable oil in a wok.
Chop the spring onions, garlic clove and ginger, and stir fry for 1 minute.
Add the finely chopped pork, and give it a good stir
Mix in the soy sauces, sesame oil, sugar and white rice vinegar, and leave it to cook for 1-2 minutes.
Remove from the pan and allow the filling to cool.
Transfer the dough to the work surface, roll it so it can have about ½ cm thickness, then cut it in rounds of 6 cm in diameter.
Place a teaspoon of the filling in the middle of each circle, then seal well with your fingers, and shape into small balls.
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C. (390 degrees Fahrenheit).
Arrange the balls on a baking tray, brush the buns with the beaten egg and sprinkle over the sesame seeds.
Bake for 15 minutes until golden.
Serve warm!

Video

Notes

The dough won't double its volume unless it's kept in a warm place - the warmer, the better. You can double prove the dough - that is prove a second time when the balls are formed, for 30 minutes or so, but you can skip that step if you wish.
Make sure the filling is completely cool before adding it to the pastry, otherwise you get the much dreaded soggy bottom.

Nutrition