Char Siu Bao (BBQ Pork Buns, 叉烧包)
A tried-and-tested recipe for Char Siu Bao, a Chinese dim sum stuffed bun that’s famous for its fluffy, cotton-like wrapper and saucy Char Siu filling. A tutorial video are included.
- Prep time
- 40 min
- Cook time
- 15 min
- Yield
- 14 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- ½ tablespoon neutral cooking oil
- ½ onion, sliced
- 120 g water
- 2 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon Char Siu sauce (see note 1)
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon tapioca starch (or corn starch), mix with 3 tbsp water
- 130 g Char Siu (Chinese BBQ pork) (see note 2)
- 350 g bao flour/cake flour, or all-purpose flour (see note 3)
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoon instant dry yeast (see note 5)
- 1½ tablespoon neutral cooking oil
- 180 g lukewarm water, adjust if necessary (see note 4)
Instructions
- 1
Add oil to a pan. Fry onion until slightly golden.
- 2
Pour in water. Then add oyster sauce, Char Siu sauce and dark soy sauce. Leave it to boil for 30 seconds. Use a slotted spoon to remove the onion.
- 3
Turn the heat to the lowest. Mix the starch water very well then pour in. Stir constantly until the liquid turns into jelly. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
- 4
Coarsely chop Char Siu into small pieces. Add to the jelly. Mix well and set aside.
- 5
IF USING HANDS: Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, yeast and oil in a bowl. Add water gradually while mixing with a pair of chopsticks/spatula. Combine with your hands to form a dough. Rest (covered ) for 10 mins then knead again until very smooth.
- 6
IF USING A STAND MIXER: Add all the ingredients for the dough into the mixing bowl. Knead on low speed for about 8 mins until a smooth dough forms.
- 7
Divide the dough into 14 equal parts. Work on one piece at a time and make sure you cover the rest to prevent it from drying out.
- 8
With a rolling pin, flatten one piece into a disc-like wrapper, 9-10cm in diameter. Ideally, it should be thinner on the edge & thicker in the middle (See the rolling technique in the video below).
- 9
Place a spoonful of filling (about 20g) in the middle of the wrapper. To ensure a “crack open” effect after steaming, follow the folding technique shown in the video below to seal the bao. Alternatively, pleat the bao using the regular method introduced in my recipe for “Steamed Bao Buns, A Complete Guide”.
- 10
Repeat to finish all the wrappers and filling. Then place the bao into steamer baskets lined with parchment paper to prevent sticking (Alternatively, brush a thin layer of oil if using a metal/plastic steamer).
- 11
Leave to rest for 30 minutes or so until they become very light & plump (no need to cover).
- 12
Bring water to a full boil in a wok/pot. Place the steamer baskets in. Steam over medium-high heat for 10 mins. Serve immediately.
- 13
You can make extra filling for later use and store it in the freezer for up to three months.
- 14
It’s not recommended to store uncooked bao. Instead, cooked bao freeze very well. Consume within three months.
- 15
To reheat: Defrost in the fridge then steam for 3 mins. Alternatively, steam for 6 mins without defrosting.