Dim Sum Bao - Hongkong Style

This was my first attempt making a smiling bao.

Original recipe is a 12 hours Pau skin from Rusti of KC. However, instead of letting the dough proved for 12 hours, I proved it for 8 & 1/2 hours.

I made the starter dough at 10 pm the night before and the next morning at about 6.30 am the dough looked like this:


For the starter dough, after mixing the dough was very very sticky. The next morning, it would double and when you touched it, it would be soft and "moist".

The good thing about this dough is that there is no additional time to prove the dough after the fillings are done. Simply steam immediately. And within 10 minutes you have piping hot bao for breakfast. :D

When my timer sound, I was very worry and excited to lift up my wok cover. ..... To my greatest joy, the six buns (and subsequent three batches) were ALL smiling happily at me! :D The texture of the bun was very soft and fluffy, just like from a dim sum restaurant! :D



I'm glad that from now on I'm able to enjoy this type of bao right in my own home early in the morning. :)

Recipe as follows:

Starter Dough:
110g tap water
185g Hong kong flour
1/2 tsp Double Acting Baking Powder
1/8 tsp instant yeast

Mix everything together and leave to prove in a plastic container for 12 hours. (I proved for 8 & 1/2 hours, in a mixing bowl, covered with wet towel, left it in my oven - power off, door closed.)

Skin dough:
375g Hong kong flour
200g sugar
23g shortening
75g tap water
20g double acting baking powder
5g ammonia
1/2 tsp vinegar

Add all the above ingredients to the starter dough. Using a dough hook, mix on Kenwood speed 3 for 6 minutes. (Mix till the dough is not sticky and form a ball.)

Take out dough and scale to 30g each. (I used 40g each, the size was just right to me.)
Shape each piece into a ball before rolling.
Fill with chilled meat filling and steam immediately. (I steam at high heat for 10 minutes.)

Note:
1. Maximum proving time for starter dough is 14 hours. Over fermenting will make your baos sour.
2. This recipe will yield 30 buns if you scaled to 30g each.
3. When rolling dough, keep the edges thinner and the centre portion slightly thicker.
4. For char siew baos, steam for 10 minutes.
5. For baos with raw meat fillings, steam for 15 minutes.
6. If making big chicken/meat baos, steam for 20 minutes.
7. Prepare the fillings after you have made the starter dough and leave it in the fridge. (Chilled fillings is easier to handle.)

For the fillings, I used a char siew fillings recipe from Gina of KC. The fillings was equally good and yummy! :)

The char siew fillings recipe as follows:

Ingredients:
300g Char siew pork, chopped finely (buy from hawker stall)
3 tbsp roasted sesame seeds
4 shallots, diced finely

Seasonings:
120ml water
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
3 tbsp sugar **
1 tbsp tapioca flour (I omitted)
1 tbsp corn flour (I use 2 tbsp since I didn't have tapioca flour on hand.)
1 tsp plain flour

Method:
1. Mixed the seasonings together in a bowl.
2. Stir fry onions in the wok.
3. Add seasoning into wok to stir fry. Fry till it becomes thick and sticky.
4. Add diced char siew pork and continue to stir fry.
5. Lastly, blend/mix in the roasted sesame seeds.
6. Turn off heat, remove to cool completely before using.

Note:
** For me, I found my char siew fillings on a little sweet side. I suspect it could be the char siew I bought, so please adjust the sugar accordingly.