HOME-MADE BREAD: This recipe for Chinese sweet buns turns out the dough that is used for a variety of Chinese buns. Hope you'll enjoy these 2 versions of steamed buns.

CHINESE SWEET BUN DOUGH:

 

 

 

4 cups all purpose flour

¼ cup sugar                                                                

1 1/2 cup warm water

1 pkg. active dry yeast                                    

1 tsp. shortening

 

 

 

Proof yeast in ½ cup warm water with 1 tsp sugar added for 10 minutes. Stir it down and let stand 5 minutes more.

 

Put 3 ½ cups flour, shortening and sugar in the work bowl of Standing Mixer with dough hook attached. Turn to speed 2 and mix flour and sugar for a few seconds. With machine running, pour in yeast water and 1 cup warm water. Add ½ cup more flour and knead until dough comes together. Knead dough for 2 minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic.

 

Turn dough out into an oiled bowl, turning over to coat all sides. Cover with tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 ½ to 2 hours or until doubled in bulk.

 

Turn dough out onto floured surface. Cut dough into the number of  pieces called for in the filling recipe below. Cover with towel and let rest 20-25 minutes.

 

 

 

BBQ PORK BUNS FILLING:

    ¾ lbs. BBQ pork, homemade or store-bought         

    4-5 tsp. dark soy sauce

    1½ tsp sugar                                                

    1 cup water

    1 ½ tbsp. oyster-flavoured sauce                

    2 tbsp. tapioca starch mixed with 2 tbsp. water                                                       

    ¼ cup chicken broth

    2 tbsp. oil                                                    

    2 tsp. sesame oil

    ¼ tsp. pepper

 

 

 

Dice BBQ pork into ½ -inch cubes. Mix together soy sauce, sugar, oyster sauce and water in a small saucepan and bring mixture to a boil. Mix starch with water; then add into mixture in pan together with chicken stock. Cook until sauce thickens slightly. Add oil, sesame oil and pepper. Mix well together and let cool. Add BBQ pork cubes and mix in well.

 

Use your hand to shape dough into a long roll about 2-inch in diameter. Cut roll in half; and then cut each half into 8-10 equal pieces. Cover pieces with towel and let rest for 20 minutes.

 

Roll each piece of dough into a small ball, then pat flat. Use a rolling pin to roll each piece to a 4-inch circle, rolling from edge inward and making edges slightly thinner than centers. Cup a circle of dough in the palm of your hand and place 1 ½ tbsp. filling in the center. Pleat edges of circle, lifting sides over filling and twist together at the top. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Cover buns and let rise in warm place for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Cut small squares of wax paper and sit a bun on each square.

 

Pour 6-8 cups boiling water into large pot which can accommodate a large bamboo  steamer. Arrange buns in steamer, leaving about 1-inch space between buns. Stack another steamer on top of that and arrange buns inside in the same way. Cover top steamer with a lid. Steam over high heat for 20 minutes. Repeat with remaining buns, adding more boiling water into pot as necessary.   

 

PORK AND VEGETABLE BUNS FILLING:

 

     1/3 lb. Chinese cabbage                                  

     1 lb. ground pork

     1 tsp. minced fresh ginger                               
     1 cup chopped green onions
     ¼ tsp. salt                                                        
     ½ tsp. sugar
    1/3 cup soy sauce                                           
    ¼ tsp. white pepper
    1 tbsp. sesame oil                                           
    1 tsp. tapioca starch

 

 

Finely chop cabbage into small pieces. Place it in a bowl with the salt and let stand 5 minutes. Squeeze out excess liquid from cabbage. Add pork, ginger and the seasoning ingredients. Mix well together to make filling.

 

Prepare and roll out though as for BBQ pork buns and steam in the same way.