Char Siew Bao

Ingredients

Buns

8g	instant dry yeast
160ml	lukewarm water
½ tsp	white vinegar or lemon juice (optional)
280g	low-protein flour aka hong kong flour
100g	wheat starch
90g	icing sugar
30g	shortening or vegetable oil
10g	baking powder
10ml	cold water

Instructions

Buns

Buns:

1. Sift together flours and icing sugar. Place sifted flour mixture in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the middle.
2. Fill well with lukewarm water, vinegar and yeast. Use a spatula, gently stir the water to dissolve the yeast then slowly bring together flour mixture.
3. Add in shortening or oil and knead for 10-15 minutes until soft dough is formed. It should be smooth on the surface.
4. Cover dough with damp cloth and let it rise for 30 minutes or until it is doubled in size. I used bread maker’s dough mode to prepare my dough up to this step.
5. Dissolve baking powder in cold water, sprinkle over dough and knead until well combined. Divide dough into 16 equal portions and flatten with a rolling pin to make a 3” circle. Then place a heap teaspoon of filling in the middle, wrap and pleat the dough to seal. Place it on a 1.5” square parchment paper, seal side up.
6. Arrange buns into a steamer, leave about 3 cm gap in between buns. Spray water mist over buns, and steam in a preheated steamer on high heat for 12 minutes. Remove buns from steamer and cool on rack.

Filling

250g	char siew
½ tbsp	vegetable oil
1	small onion
1 tsp.	sesame oil
1½ tbsp	corn flour