Chinese Char Siu Steam  Bao
(traditional method take longer time adapted from Amy Beh)
see also Chinese Steamed Char Siu Bao
and Char Siu Smiling Fatt Kou Bao method (updated)
  

Starter dough
300g pau (or superfine) flour
1/2 teaspoon instant dried yeast
1/2 tablespoon white vinegar
150-160ml water
100g rice

Dough A
300g Hong Kong flour
60g starter dough
150-160ml water
oil to grease bowl

Dough B
500g dough A
100g sugar
150g Hong Kong flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
20g vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon ammonia (or ¾ tsp baking powder plus ¾ tsp baking soda or  1¼ tsp baking soda )*
25-30ml water

Method

To make starter dough
Mix all the ingredients into a dough and leave at room temperature for 24 hours, covered with a piece of cloth. It should become foamy and smell tangy and yeasty.

To make dough A
Make a well in the middle of the Hong Kong flour and add in the starter dough. Pour in some water and mix in a circular motion, adding water bit by bit. Knead until smooth. Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl; turn dough so that the oiled surface is facing upwards. Wrap bowl with cling film and keep in a cool place for 10 hours.

To make dough B
Place the dough and sugar in a mixing bowl. Mix well until sugar is dissolved and the dough is smooth.
Add in half the Hong Kong flour and half the baking powder. Mix well. Add shortening and ammonia. Mix and add the remaining flour and baking powder. Add water and mix until smooth. Set aside, covered. Allow to rest for 1 hour before use.

To assemble
1.Roll out the dough to resemble a sausage. Cut into nuggets of 20-30g each.
2.Flatten lightly with your palm. Hold the flattened dough with your thumb and index finger and roll out the dough with a dim sum rolling pin until it forms a circle about 5cm in diameter.Scoop 1 heaped tablespoon (about 30g) of the filling onto the middle of a dough circle and pinch the edges together. Place the pau on a small square piece of parchment paper.put it onto a steamer and cover with a damp cloth. Continue to fill up the other portions.
3.. Bring the water and 1 tbsp vinegar in a steamer to high boil.
4.Spray the filled Paus/Baos with water lightly and put to steam for 12 minutes.
Ensure that the water is on boiling high. The hotter the steam, the better the SMILE.
5. When the Paus/Baos are ready, remove from the steamer and allow it to cool.

If ammonia is used, then
Do not serve them as the smell of the ammonia bicarbonate has not dissipate. After cool down, re steam again for another 12 minutes before serving..

Fillings
500g chicken charsiew, diced
300g charsiew sauce
20g coriander, chopped
20g sesame seeds, toasted

To prepare Charsiew sauce
Ingredients
· 110ml oil
· 4 shallots, sliced thickly
1 Bombay onion, sliced thickly
· 30g ginger, sliced
· 4 sprigs spring onion, cut into 10cm lengths
· 40g smooth peanut butter
· 40g fermented soy bean paste (tau cheo)
· 150g sugar
· 40g oyster sauce
· 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
· 300ml water
· 40g tapioca flour
· 40g chestnut flour
· 25g cornflour
· 75ml water
· 50-100ml oil

To prepare sauce:
Heat the oil in a wok and add the shallots, onion,
ginger and spring onions. Fry for about 3 minutes until fragrant and golden. Turn off the heat and strain the oil.
Return the oil to the wok. Over medium heat, stir-fry with the peanut butter and fermented soy bean paste. Add the combined sugar, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce and water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3 minutes. Turn up the heat and pour in the tapioca, chestnut and corn flours followed by the water. Keep stirring continuously, as the mixture will thicken very fast. Stir for about 2 minutes until smooth.
Transfer to a bowl and seal top with a layer of oil. Leave to cool overnight.

++ See also related similar recipe .Char Siu Fatt Kou (Bao)

*see details description and substitution What is ammonium bicarbonate
 

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