Char Siu Bao (BBQ Pork Buns)

Serves 4

Time 1 hour

Ingredients

Bun Dough

400g plain flour

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1½ tsp baking powder

Activated yeast:

1½ tbsp caster sugar

1 cup lukewarm water

1½ tsp dried yeast

BBQ Pork Filling

2 tbsp vegetable oil

½ brown onion, diced

1 knob ginger, peeled and minced

3 cloves ginger, roughly chopped

Salt & pepper

2 shiitake mushrooms, sliced 

300g char siu pork, diced 

1 bunch spring onions, sliced 

2 tbsp hoisin sauce 

½ tsp sesame oil 

1 tbsp black vinegar 

2 tbsp soy sauce 

1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 1 tbsp water 

Method

Add the flour, activated yeast, oil and baking powder to your magimix bowl. Place the lid on and select the baking function, and select bread/brioche. The automatic function will knead the dough. 

Once the dough has kneaded go into the expert function, set the blade to 0, temperature to 35C and time to 30. After this time the dough should have doubled in size. 

While the dough is proving, prepare the BBQ pork filling. 

Add vegetable oil, onion, ginger, garlic, salt and pepper to a hot pan, stir around so that the oil coats all of the ingredients, and sweat down for a few minutes. 

Add mushrooms, char siu pork and sear for a few minutes. Add spring onions, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, black vinegar, soy sauce and gradually add the cornflour slurry and stir until it thickens. 

Pour the mixture into a bowl and set it aside to cool. 

Once the dough has proved, pour out onto a clean bench dusted with flour. Move around until it forms a smooth dough. Roll into a log and cut into 8 pieces. Dust with flour so they don’t stick. Flatten the ball into a disk, roll the edges out and they are thinner than the centre. Add 1.5 tablespoons of filling to the centre of the bun. Pinch the edges together, creating a pleating effect, bring together in the middle and twist to seal. 

Add water into the cook expert, place the steamer basket on top. Line the steamer basket with a sheet of baking paper, and add your buns to the steamer- make sure you leave enough room for them to rise. Select the cooking function and steam for 20 minutes. 

Serve with soy sauce.