HOME-MADE BREAD: The basic "Chinese Sweet Buns"" recipe can be utilized to make dessert buns that are served in Chinese restaurants as a "dim sum" selection.

CHINESE SWEET BEAN BUNS:

 

 

 

1 recipe Chinese sweet bun dough, see posted recipe                              

1 x 16 oz. can red bean paste

 

 

 

Prepare dough. Roll it out on a floured surface into a long roll about 1½-inches in diameter. Cut roll into half and each half into 9 or 10 equal pieces. Cover with tea towel and let dough rest for 20-25 minutes.

 

Roll each piece of dough into a ball, then flatten ball out. Use a rolling pin to roll out each flat piece into a 4-inch circle, rolling from edges to inward and making edges slightly thinner than centers.

 

Cup a circle of dough in the palm of your hand and place 1 ½ tsp. of red bean paste in the center. Pleat edges of circle, lift sides up over filling and twist together at the top to seal. Gently shape each bun into a ball. Cut wax paper into squares, roughly 1 1/2 -inch in size; and sit 1 roll on each square. Transfer roils to baking trays and cover with tea towel. Let rise for 30 minutes in a warm place.

 

Use a saucepan big enough to have a bamboo steamer fitted over the rim and fill it with 10 cups of water. Bring water to a vigorous boil. Gently fit in as many buns, twisted-side up, as will fit into steamer, leaving 1-inch space between buns. Fill another steamer with buns and stack it on top of the other one. Cover with a lid and steam over high heat for 20 minutes. Repeat with rest of buns, adding more boiling water to pot as needed.

 

Let stand 5 minutes before removing from steamer. Serve hot as dessert.

 

 

 

VARIATION:  Sweet black bean paste or lotus paste may be used for filling too

HOME-MADE BREAD: Here are 2 more ways to make use of the basic Chinese Sweet Buns recipe posted earlier. These 2 types of buns are popular items in traditional Chinese bakeries.

 

CHINESE CURRY BEEF BUNS:

 

 

 

1 quantity of basic Chinese sweet bun, see posted recipe

filling:

    6-8 oz minced beef                                     

    1 small onion, finely chopped

    1 garlic, minced                                          

    1 ½ tbsp. curry powder

    ¾ to 1 tsp. salt                                                         

    1 ½ tsp. sugar

    2 to 3 tsp. tapioca or corn starch mixed with 1 tbsp. water

 

 ½ cup sugar dissolved in ½ cup boiling water

 

egg wash

 

 

 

Sauté onions, add beef and cook till no longer pink. Add curry powder and salt and sugar. Cook over medium heat for a few minutes. Add starch solution and cook until thickened. Remove from heat, taste and adjust seasoning. Cool completely before use.

 

Make dough according to recipe. After 1^st rising, punch down dough, and divide dough into 24 equal pieces. Cover and rest for 20 minutes.

 

Shape each piece of dough into a round ball, and flatten it out into a round. Fill each round with 2 tsp. of filling. Gather opening together and work dough into a ball again. Place filled buns on greased baking sheet, leaving a 2-inch space between buns. Cover with towel and let it rise in a warm place until double in bulk.

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Brush buns with egg-wash and bake 15-20 minutes or until golden. Make syrup with sugar and water. Stir well. Cool before use.

 

Remove buns from oven. Brush tops with syrup while warm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

BAKED BBQ PORK BUNS:

 

 

 

1 quantity Chinese sweet bun dough

filling:

    ¾ lbs. BBQ pork, homemade or bought    

    4-5 tsp. dark soy sauce

    1½ tsp sugar                                                           

    1 cup water

    1 ½ tbsp. oyster-flavoured sauce               

    2 tbsp. tapioca starch

    2 tbsp. water                                                          

    ¼ cup chicken broth

    2 tbsp. oil                                                   

    2 tsp. sesame oil

    ¼ tsp. pepper

½ cup sugar dissolved in ½ cup boiling water 

egg wash

 

 

 

Prepare filling:  Dice BBQ pork into ½ -inch cubes. Mix together soy sauce, sugar and oyster sauce and water in a small saucepan and bring mixture to a boil. Mix starch with water. 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 pork cubes and mix in well. Cool before using.

 

After 1st rising of dough, punch dough down and turn out onto floured surface. Roll out  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.

 

Proceed to fill rolls as per above recipe and arrange rolls onto greased baking sheet(s). Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size.

 

Bake and glaze buns.

HOME-MADE BREAD: Plain steam buns made with wheat flour is as popular in Northern China as rice is in the south, to be served as staple with a variety of dishes. This recipe has been a cherished one in my family.

CHINESE BREAD ROLLS—FLOWER BUNS花卷:

 

 

 

 

5 ¼ cups all purpose flour                              

1 tbsp. active dry yeast

1 tsp. sugar                                                     

2 tsp. salt

2 cups warm water                                          

2 tbsp. oil

2 tsp. baking soda                                           

1 tbsp. water

 

 

 

Proof yeast with 1 cup warm water and sugar for 10 minutes. Stir down and let stand 5 minutes more.

 

Put 4 cups flour and salt in the mixing bowl of Standing Mixer with dough hook attacked. Turn machine to Speed 2. Add yeast water and 1 cup warm water, ½ cup or more of flour and knead until dough clings to hook and cleans sides of bowl. Knead dough for 2 more minutes.

 

Transfer dough to oiled bowl, turning to coat with oil. Cover and let rise in warm place for 1 ½ hours or until doubled in bulk.

 

Punch dough down and turn out onto floured surface. Mix water and baking soda; then add to dough, kneading to mix it in and knead for a few minutes. Cut dough into 2 pieces. Cover and let rest 20 minutes. 

 

Roll each piece of dough out to ½-inch thickness. Sprinkle dough with oil and salt. Roll dough up, jelly-roll fashion into a long roll. Cut into 2-inch pieces (9 pieces from each roll of dough). With a chopstick, press down firmly along centre of each roll.

 

Cut pieces of waxed paper into 2-inch squares--18 squares in all; and sit one roll on each square. Arrange rolls in several bamboo steamers, leaving room to spread in between rolls. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes. 

 

Fill a pot, large enough to allow a bamboo steamer to fit over the rim, with 10 cups or more cold water. Bring water to a boil. Stack bamboo steamers, one on top of the other, over the pot of boiling water. Cover top bamboo steamer with a lid. Steam buns for 20 minutes or until puffed. Serve hot with food.

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.

 

 

 

 

 

     

HOME-MADE BREAD: If you like whole wheat bread, please give this recipe a try. You can half the ingredients according to make a smaller batch of bread.

WHOLE WHEAT BREAD WITH STONE-GROUND WHEAT FLOUR:

 

 

 

 

9 cups stone-ground whole wheat flour****

1 tsp. sugar

1 tbsp. salt                                                      

3 tbsp. active dry yeast

liquid ingredients:

     ¾ cup warm water                                     

    3 cups warm milk

    6 tbsp. butter, melted          

    1/3 cup dark brown sugar

    ¼ cup un-sulphured molasses                                 

    3 tbsp. each sesame seeds & yellow cornmeal                                

2 eggs, slightly beaten

egg wash

 

 

 

Proof yeast with the warm water and sugar for 10 minutes. Stir it down and leave to stand 5 more minutes.

 

In a large bowl, combine rest of liquid ingredients; then add eggs and the yeast mixture into it. Pour this over 3 cups of flour, stirring to combine, and leave this “sponge” dough to rest, covered with a tea towel, in a warm place for 30 minutes.

 

Beat in the salt and 4 cups flour, 1 cup at a time. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead (see general bread-making instruction) it for a minute or so. Add 2 more cups of flour gradually and work it in. Continue kneading dough, adding more flour if it seems sticky, until it is smooth and elastic, 5 to 10 minutes.

 

Form dough into a ball, transfer it to a greased bowl, and brush the top with melted butter. Let the dough rise, covered, in a warm place (see general instructions) for 1 to 1 ½ hours or until double in bulk.

 

Punch down the dough and turn it out onto floured surface. Allow it to rest, covered, for 30 minutes.

 

Cut dough into 3 pieces and shape each into a loaf to fit into greased 7 x 4 x 2 inch loaf pans. Allow the loaves to rise, covered, in a warm place, for about 1 hour, or until each loaf reaches the top of each pan.

 

Brush the tops with beaten egg-wash and bake in preheated 350 degrees F oven for 45 minutes, or until the tops are brown and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped.  Turn the loaves out and cool on rack.

 

 

 

 

 

**** When working with half the ingredients, use 2 tbsp. of active dry yeast.****

HOME-MADE BREAD: Here is a tried & true recipe that has given me delicious result for many years.

BASIC WHITE BREAD:

5 ½ to 6 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp. sugar                                                     

1 pkg. (1 tbsp.) active dry yeast

2 cups warm water                                          

2 tbsp. each sugar & olive oil

2 to 3 tsp. salt                                                 

egg wash--1 egg beaten with 2 tbsp water

In measuring cup, dissolve sugar in ½ cup of warm water (around 100-110 degrees F). Sprinkle in yeast. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 10 minutes for yeast to develop. After 10 minutes, stir yeast down; then cover again. Leave to stand another 5 minutes more. Add olive oil and mix in.

Meanwhile, add 5 cups of flour, sugar and salt into the bowl of the standing electric mixer with dough hook attached. Turn to Speed 2 and swirl mixture for a few seconds to mix.  With machine running, add yeast mixture into the flour, followed by 1½ cups warm water. Continue to knead dough on Speed 2, adding remaining ½ to 1 cup of extra flour gradually. Knead until dough clings to hook and cleans sides of bowl, about 2 minutes. Knead for 2 minutes longer.

Remove dough from mixer and place it in a greased bowl, turning dough over to grease it thoroughly. Cover bowl with clean cloth and let rise in a warm place (see general instructions), free from draft, for about 1½ hours, or until dough doubles in bulk, and tested risen.

Punch dough down and turn it out onto floured surface. Knead it for a couple times to remove any large bubbles. Divide and cut dough according to choice of sizes:

1.  Cut dough into 2 large pieces to fit into two 9x 5 loaf pans to make regular-sized loaves.

2.  Use 1 large piece of dough to make into a regular loaf; then cut the other dough into 4  equal pieces to fit into 4 mini loaf pans.

3.   Divide each regular loaf into 3 equal pieces to make into 6 mini loaves.

Cover cut dough with towel and allow to rest for 25 minutes before shaping.

Shape pieces into loaves (see general instructions) and put them in greased loaf pans.  Cover loaves with tea towel, and let rise in a warm place, until top of dough rises over the rim and the loaf has doubled in size.

Preheat over to 400 degrees F.  Brush tops of loaf with egg wash. Bake 25 minutes for mini loaves, and 45 minutes for large loaves. Cool on wire rack.

HOME-MADE BREAD: Making bread at home, especially for the family to enjoy daily or as special treat, and/or for entertaining guests, is a most satisfying thing to do. Hope these general hints in bread-making will be useful to you.

BREAD-- BASIC TECHNIQUES IN BREAD-MAKING:

 

 

 

1. Make sure the temperature of the water for the yeast is correct. Very hot water will kill the yeast but too cold water will slow down its action.  The temperature should be around 100-110 degrees F.

 

2. The amount of flour needed will depend on how accurately the liquid has been             measured. While kneading, you may continue to add liquid until the dough no longer sticks to the board, or to the sides of the mixing bowl.    

 

3. Kneading by machine---using a powerful standing mixer (like the Kitchen Aid Table Mixer being used for all the bread recipes here) with dough hook attachment. Dough should be kneaded for 2 minutes at low speed, or Speed 2, after flour and enough warm water and other liquid has been added to it to make dough. Dough is kneaded and ready when it clings to the dough hook and cleans sides of the mixing bowl.

 

4. Kneading by hand--turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface to do so. Knead the dough by using the heels of your hands to push the dough away from you, give it a quarter-turn then fold the dough over towards yourself. Repeat this action until dough is smooth and satiny, about 10 minutes. 

 

5. Allow dough to rise in a greased bowl, covered with a large clean tea towel, in a warm place. The preferred way is to sit the bowl on a rack inside a cold oven, with the oven light turned on, and a large bowl of hot water sitting directly underneath the rack. Empty and refill bowl with hot water every 30 minutes.

 

6.  To test if dough is ready and well-risen, press two fingers into dough and withdraw them quickly.  If the fingers leave a deep impression, the dough has risen sufficiently.  After the second rising, a gentle touch by the finger leaves a slight impression means that it is ready.

 

7. To shape the loaves for baking—with a rolling pin, roll one ball of dough into a rectangle, pressing out all large air bubbles. Roll dough up like a jelly-roll, starting from the end closest to you. Flatten out the dough, making it uniform in thickness, and tuck both ends under to meet in the centre.  Pinch seams firmly with fingers. Flatten out to fit into size of loaf pan.

 

8. When baking the bread, follow the time called for in a recipe. Bread is done when loaf lifts free from the pan and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.

 

9. Bread freezes very well if allowed to be completely cooled first, and then wrapped well with plastic to freeze.

MARINADES: This is a pretty fool-proof way to marinate pork chops for the BBQ grill.

ORANGE JUICE MARINADE FOR PORK CHOPS:

 

 

 

6 oz. can of frozen orange juice, thawed                    

¾ cup water

1/3 cup brown sugar                                                   

½ cup wine vinegar

¼ cup liquid honey                                                     

1 tsp. prepared mustard

½ tsp. salt

 

 

 

Mix ingredients together and marinate pork chops for at last 6 hours or overnight.

MARINADES: This recipe has been a tried & true favourite in my family for many many year. You can count on it to produce good result.

MARINADE FOR CANTONESE BBQ PORK 义燒:

 

 

 

 

2 lbs pork butt ****                                       

liquid honey for basting                                              

marinade:

    5 tbsp. sugar                                                           

    2 tbsp. each rice wine (or dry sherry) & light soy sauce     

    2 glove garlic, crushed                                

    ¼ tsp. 5-star powder                                                                                               

    2 stalks green onion, cut into long pieces    

    ½ tbsp. salt

   few drops of red food colouring

 

****double amount of marinade for larger amount of meat****

 

 

 

Cut pork into 2-inch wide long strips and place in a large bowl. Mix marinade ingredients together well and pour over the pork. Cover and marinate for 1-2 hours.

 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Arrange pork on a rack over a large roasting pan. Roast for 25 minutes, basting often with marinade.  During the last 10 minutes of cooking, coat pork strips with honey and finish cooking when meat is golden brown and juices run clear when pieced with a skewer. Let stand for 5 minutes before carving.

 

Slice pork into serving pieces of desired thickness.

MARINADES: Here are 2 of my favourite recipes to use on lamb. Hope you'll like them too.

ARMENIAN HERB MARINADE FOR LAMB:

 

 

 

3-4 lbs. lamb, any cut

½ cup each olive oil + tomato juice

½ cup finely-chopped onion                           

¼ cup lemon juice

¼ cup snipped parsley                                    

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp. each salt, dried marjoram & dried thyme, crushed                                

½ tsp. pepper

 

 

 

Combine all ingredients, either in a large glass dish or a large plastic leak-proof bag with ties, and add lamb, turning lamb or bag over a couple of times to coat all sides. This makes 1 ¾ cups of marinade.. Marinate in refrigerator for at least 6 hours

SPICE MARINADE:

 

 

 

1 cup wine vinegar                                         

1 onion, chopped

8 whole cloves                                                

2 sprigs fresh mint or 1 tsp. dried

2 cloves garlic, crushed                                  

3 sprigs fresh or 1tsp. dried parsley

¼ tsp. each dried thyme & dried tarragon

1 tsp. grated lemon rind                                  

2 tsp. salt

 

 

 

Combine ingredients and use it for lamb.