Pork Buns (Bao Zi)

RECIPE CREDIT YouTube Channel: Chinese Cooking Demystified

For the buns:

2 C plus 2 T all purpose flour

1/2 C warm water

1 1/4 t sugar

3/4 t dry active yeast

Thoroughly dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water. Slowly pour the water over the flour, stirring and wetting all the dry areas while stirring until dough forms. Knead the dough for 8 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball. Place the dough in a bowl, cover and set aside until it doubles in size, about 90 minutes.

For the filling:

Combine:

1/4 C hot, boiled water

1/2 inch fresh ginger, peeled and sliced

3 1 inch sections of leek

2 star anise

1/2 black cardamom pod

1 t fennel seeds

1 t szechuan peppercorn

Set aside this spice water for 30 minutes to steep and cool

1 lb pork butt

1 t sesame oil

Chop and mince for about 3 minutes until the pork is soft. Season with:

1/4 t salt

1/4 t sugar

1/2 t cornstarch

1/8 t white pepper

1/2 T soy sauce

1/2 t Shaoxing wine

After the spice water has steeped and cooled for 30 minutes, strain it, keeping the water and discarding the solids. Begin adding the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to the seasoned pork while stirring constantly in one direction with chopstick. This process should take about 5 minutes. When finished, add the sesame oil and mix well.

When dough has risen, punch it down. Flour your work surface well. Flour the dough on the work surface. Roll the dough out to form a rectangle. Roll it up as if you were making cinnamon rolls. Cut the dough into 8 equal parts. Press each part into a square, then form it into a ball, pinching the bottom together. One at a time, sprinkle each ball with flour and roll it out flat to form a circle. Using your rolling pin, press in on the outside edge of the dough and press even harder rolling out. Rotate the circle as you go to thin out the outer edges while leaving the center of the dough thicker than the outer edges. Add 1/4 C of the pork filling to each prepared dough circle and form pleats around the outer edge to close the bun, twisting at the top to seal.

Place the buns on squares of parchment paper inside a bamboo steamer. Place the steamer in a wok with a couple of inches of water in it and bring the water to 100 degrees F. Proof the buns over the warm water for 30 minutes. They should double in size. Increase the heat under the wok so the water comes to a boil. When you start to see steam rising from the steamer, reduce the heat to a medium flame and steam the buns for 15 minutes.

Serve immediately. Makes 8 buns.