Char Siu Bao - Chinese Steamed Pork Buns

Yields 24 steamed pork buns.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons oil

1 scallion, chopped fine

1 clove garlic, chopped fine

1/2 pound barbecued pork cut into small cubes

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

2 tablespoons oyster sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water or chicken stock

Preparation:

Follow Basic Bun recipe through step 3 (preparing the dough and letting it rest).

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in wok. Stir fry scallion and garlic 30 seconds. Add pork. Stir fry 1 minute. Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar.

Pour in dissolved cornstarch. Stir fry quickly until pork is glazed. Remove to bowl and allow to cool.

On a floured board, knead dough 1 minute and roll into one long, sausage-like roll 2 inches in diameter.

Slice the roll crosswise into 1 inch pieces.

Flatten each piece with the palm of your hand and roll with rolling pin into 3 inch rounds.

Place 2 tablespoons of filling in center of each round.

Gather dough up around the filling by pleating along the edges.

Bring the pleats up and twist securely and firmly.

Place each bun on 2 inch square of aluminum foil on steamer tray. Cover with a towel. Let rise 1 hour, until dough springs back when touched with finger. Remove towel.

Steam over briskly boiling water 10 minutes.

May be prepared in advance. May be frozen. Thaw out in plastic bag and resteam 10 minutes.

(*Note: This recipe is reprinted from "Madame Wong's Long-Life Chinese Cookbook", courtesy of Sylvia Schulman).

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