Homemade Chinese BBQ Pork Steamed Buns Recipe
Delight in these homemade Chinese BBQ pork steamed buns, featuring a soft, fluffy dough wrapped around savory char siu pork filling. Perfectly steamed to a light and airy texture, these buns combine sweet, tangy, and savory flavors for a comforting and satisfying snack or meal.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Yield: 16 buns 1x
- Category: Dim Sum
- Method: Steaming
- Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 360 g Plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for dusting
- 20 g Skim-milk powder
- 4 g Baking powder
- 5 g Instant dry yeast
- 35 g Sugar
- 35 g Vegetable oil
- 200 g Warm water
Filling
- 1 tbsp Vegetable oil for sautéing
- 4 tbsp Onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
- 400 g Chinese BBQ pork, diced
- 0.5 cup Char siu sauce
- 1 tbsp Soy sauce
- 1 tbsp White sugar
- 100 ml Water
- 2 tbsp Cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp water
- Sea salt, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a large bowl, combine the flour, skim-milk powder, baking powder, instant dry yeast, and sugar. Create a well in the center and pour in the warm water and vegetable oil. Mix until a dough forms, then knead on a floured surface for about 10 minutes until smooth and springy. Cover and let rest for 1 hour or until the dough doubles in size.
- Cook the Filling: Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add diced onion, chopped garlic, and a pinch of sea salt, sautéing for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add diced Chinese BBQ pork, char siu sauce, soy sauce, white sugar, and water to the pan. Simmer for 3-4 minutes, then stir in the cornflour-water mixture and cook for another minute until thickened. Remove from heat and cool in the freezer for 15 minutes.
- Roll Out the Dough: Turn the risen dough onto a floured surface and roll into a rectangle. Fold in half, roll out again, and repeat two more times to develop layers. Shape into a cylinder, cut into 16 equal pieces, then flatten each piece into discs with thinner edges than the center.
- Stuff the Buns: Place two heaped tablespoons of cooled pork filling into the center of each dough disc. Pleat the edges together carefully to encase the filling completely. Place each bun on a tray lined with baking paper, cover with a damp tea towel, and let rest in a warm place for 1 hour to rise again.
- Steam the Buns: Arrange the buns in a bamboo steamer over boiling water, ensuring they have space to expand. Steam for about 10 minutes or until they puff up and become fluffy. Serve warm and enjoy the fragrant, flavorful buns.
Notes
- For an extra touch, garnish the steamed buns with sliced green onions or toasted sesame seeds just before serving.
- Ensure the water used for the dough is warm, not hot, to activate the yeast without killing it.
- If you don’t have a bamboo steamer, a metal steaming basket or rack over a covered pot will also work.
- Use leftover or store-bought Chinese BBQ pork if short on time for the filling.
Keywords: Chinese BBQ pork buns, Char siu bao, steamed buns, dim sum recipe, homemade pork buns, Chinese steamed buns
