Description
These homemade Chinese BBQ pork steamed buns are soft, fluffy, and filled with a savory and sweet char siu pork filling. Perfect as a snack or appetizer, they combine a tender steamed dough with rich barbecue pork, offering an authentic taste of classic Chinese cuisine made from scratch.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 360 g Plain (all-purpose) flour (extra for dusting)
- 20 g Skim-milk powder
- 4 g Baking powder
- 5 g Instant dry yeast
- 35 g Sugar
- 35 g Vegetable oil
- 200 g Warm water
Filling Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Vegetable oil (for sautéing)
- 4 tbsp Onion (finely diced)
- 2 cloves Garlic (finely chopped)
- 400 g Chinese BBQ pork (diced)
- 0.5 cup Char siu sauce
- 1 tbsp Soy sauce
- 1 tbsp White sugar
- 100 ml Water
- 2 tbsp Cornflour (mixed with 2 tbsp water)
- Sea salt (adjust to taste)
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a large bowl, combine the plain flour, skim-milk powder, baking powder, instant dry yeast, and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the warm water and vegetable oil. Mix together until a dough forms. Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 10 minutes until it becomes smooth and springy. Cover the dough and let it rest in a warm place for 1 hour or until it doubles in size.
- Cook the Filling: Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the finely diced onion, chopped garlic, and a pinch of sea salt. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until the onion softens. Stir in the diced Chinese BBQ pork, char siu sauce, soy sauce, white sugar, and 100 ml water. Allow the mixture to simmer for 3-4 minutes. Add the cornflour-water mixture to thicken the sauce and simmer for an additional minute. Remove from heat and place the filling in the freezer for 15 minutes to cool.
- Roll Out the Dough: Once the dough has risen, turn it onto a floured surface and roll it into a rectangle. Fold the dough in half and roll it out again. Repeat this folding and rolling process two more times. Then, shape the dough into a cylinder and cut it into 16 equal pieces. Flatten each piece into a circular disc, thinning the edges more than the center for easy pleating.
- Stuff the Buns: Place 2 heaped tablespoons of the cooled pork filling into the center of each dough disc. Carefully pleat and pinch the edges to seal the filling inside snugly. Arrange the filled buns on a tray lined with baking paper. Cover the buns with a damp tea towel and let them rest in a warm area for another hour to proof.
- Steam the Buns: Set up a steamer with boiling water and arrange the buns so they are not touching each other. Steam the buns for about 10 minutes or until they puff up and become fluffy and cooked through. Serve the steamed buns warm and enjoy their fragrant, flavorful filling and soft texture.
Notes
- Ensure the water used to activate the yeast is warm, not hot, to avoid killing the yeast.
- Cooling the filling after cooking helps prevent the dough from becoming soggy during assembly.
- Do not overcrowd buns while steaming to ensure even cooking and puffiness.
- The dough resting and proofing times are essential for soft, fluffy buns.
- You can substitute the Chinese BBQ pork with other fillings like vegetables or chicken for variety.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dim Sum
- Method: Steaming
- Cuisine: Chinese
Keywords: Chinese BBQ pork buns, Char Siu Bao, steamed buns, homemade dim sum, Chinese pork buns, BBQ pork filling, soft steamed buns
