Steamed Pork Buns

Steamed Pork Buns

Makes 10 buns

2 cups plain flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup warm water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons reduced-salt soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons Shao hsing rice wine
2 teaspoons cornflour
1 teaspoon sesame oil
250g Chinese barbecue pork (char-siu pork), finely chopped

1. Sift flour and baking powder into a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of sugar and salt. Gradually add combined water and oil. Stir to form a soft dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Place soy and oyster sauces, rice wine, remaining sugar and cornflour into a jug. Whisk to combine.
3. Heat a wok or non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add sesame oil, pork
and soy mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes, or until mixture comes to the boil. Set aside to cool.
4. Divide dough into 10 portions. Cover with a tea towel to prevent dough from drying out. Working with 1 portion at a time, roll dough into a 12cm round. Place a spoonful of pork mixture into centre of each round. Draw edges up to form buns. Pinch tops together.
5. Pour water into a wok or deep frying pan until it is one-third full. Bring to the boil over high heat. Line a bamboo steamer with baking paper and place over wok (make sure it doesn’t touch water). Place 5 buns into steamer. Cover with steamer lid. Cook for 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into centre comes out clean. Keep warm. Repeat with remaining buns. Serve.

Hint: This dough is very elastic. Roll out on a floured board and work quickly.

Recipe from Super Food Ideas Magazine (Febuary 2004).