Bao Recipes

Steps:

• Mix pork, shallots, fish sauce, oyster sauce, and soy sauce together in a large bowl. Let mixture marinate in the refrigerator, about 30 minutes.
• Combine self-rising flour, milk, and sugar in another large bowl; knead until dough is smooth and no longer sticky. Cover dough with cheesecloth; let rest, about 5 minutes.
• Divide dough into 18 balls. Roll out each ball into a circle with a rolling pin on a floured work surface. Place a spoonful of the pork mixture in the center; top with 2 sausage slices and an egg quarter. Gather the edges of each circle together like a coin purse; twist and pinch to seal the bun.
• Cut waxed paper into eighteen 2-inch squares. Place each bun on a waxed paper square. Arrange 1 inch apart in a steamer; cover with lid.
• Steam buns until puffed up, about 30 minutes.

Steps:

• Combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder, green onions and 4 cups water in a pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Let cool to room temperature. Combine the marinade and the pork belly in a pan, cover and marinate for 24 hours in the refrigerator.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Set the pan with the pork belly and marinade in the oven. Cook until tender, about 3 hours.
• Remove the pan from the oven. Set a second pan directly on the pork belly and weight it with canned goods to compress the pork belly. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or until the pork belly is firm.
• Crush the roasted peanuts in a food processor or with a mortar and pestle. Mix in the raw sugar. Set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, white onions and preserved mustard greens. Saute for 2 minutes. Stir in the sweet soy sauce. Set aside.
• Slice the pork belly into 3-inch-long blocks, and then cut into 1/2-inch-thick rectangles. Sear on both sides in a little oil until golden brown.
• Set up a steamer and steam the gua bao until soft and fluffy.
• Open up the steamed buns. Spread each with 1/2 tablespoon of the hoisin and then top with a slice of pork belly and 1 tablespoon of the preserved mustard green mixture. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the crushed peanuts and some chopped cilantro.

Steps:

• For the custard: Fill a medium saucepan with 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer over medium-low heat.
• Whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, cornstarch, flour, confectioners' sugar, custard powder, powdered milk, salt and eggs in a medium bowl until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a medium heatproof metal bowl.
• Place the bowl over the simmering water and cook, stirring constantly with a spatula and occasionally removing the bowl from the water if the custard starts to stick to the sides and whisking until mostly smooth, until the custard is thick but pourable and smooth, about 7 minutes. There may be a few curds, but they will smooth out when whisked. Whisk in the butter. Transfer to a clean medium bowl. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the custard and let cool in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
• For the dough: Whisk together the yeast and 1/4 cup warm water (100 to 110 degrees F) in the bowl of the stand mixer until the yeast has slightly dissolved. Set aside to proof until the surface of the water is bubbly, about 10 minutes (see Cook's Note).
• Add the flour, milk, confectioners' sugar, baking powder and salt to the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed using the dough hook attachment until the dough starts to come together. If the dough looks dry, add an additional tablespoon of whole milk at a time until a dough forms and doesn't stick to the sides of the bowl. Knead the dough on medium-low speed until smooth, about 8 minutes. Add the butter and knead until combined and smooth again. Cover the bowl with a dry kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place until the dough is 2 to 3 times its original size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours (see Cook's Note).
• Meanwhile, cut twelve 4-inch parchment paper squares and set aside.
• Scoop a leveled tablespoon of the chilled custard and gently roll into a ball. Continue with the remaining custard (you should have 12 pieces). Cover with the same plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.
• Pace the stand mixer bowl back onto the machine with the dough hook attachment and knead until the dough deflates, about 1 minute.
• Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and divide into 12 pieces (about 1 ounce each). Cover the dough with a damp towel. Working with one dough piece at a time, roll out to a 4-inch circle with the edges thinner than the center. Place a custard ball in the center of the dough circle and bring the edges together to seal in the custard. Place on a parchment square and set aside. Repeat with the remaining dough and custard.
• Set up a steamer and steamer basket and fill with enough hot water to come almost up to but not touching the steamer basket. Place as many bao as you can (on the parchment squares) into the steamer basket, leaving 1 inch of space between each. Cover with a lid and let proof over the hot water until they have a puffed and glossy appearance, about 30 minutes. Let the remaining bao proof, uncovered, on the counter.
• When ready to steam, turn the heat under the steamer to medium and steam for exactly 12 minutes; start your timer when you turn on the heat. Turn off the heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Uncover the steamer and enjoy the bao hot.
• Immediately steam the remaining bao over medium heat for 12 minutes, then turn off the heat and let sit for 5 minutes.
• Freeze the cooled bao on a baking sheet in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Steam from frozen for about 8 minutes, then let sit for 5 minutes. Enjoy warm fluffy bao any time you want.

Steps:

• Mix together the flour, caster sugar and ½ tsp salt in a large bowl (see tip). Dissolve the yeast and a pinch of sugar in 1 tbsp warm water, then add it to the flour with the milk, sunflower oil, rice vinegar and 200ml water. Mix into a dough, adding a little extra water if needed.
• Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 10-15 mins, or until smooth. Put in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth and leave to rise for 2 hrs, or until doubled in size.
• Tip the dough out onto a clean work surface and punch it down. Flatten the dough with your hands, then sprinkle over the baking powder and knead for 5 mins.
• Roll out the dough into a long sausage shape, about 3cm thick, then cut into pieces that are about 3cm wide - you should have 18. In the palm of your hand, roll each piece of dough into a ball and leave to rest for 2-3 mins.
• Use a rolling pin to roll out each ball, one by one, into an oval shape about 3-4mm thick. Rub the surface of the dough ovals with oil and brush a little oil over a chopstick. Place the oiled chopstick in the centre of each oval. Fold the dough over the chopstick, then slowly pull out the chopstick.
• Cut 18 squares of baking parchment and put a bun on each. Transfer to a baking tray, cover with a clean tea towel and leave to prove in a warm place for 1 hr 30 mins, or until doubled in size.
• Heat a large steamer over a medium-high heat. Steam the buns for 8 mins until puffed up (you'll need to do this in batches). Prise open each bun and fill with our barbecue pork and pickled carrot & mooli. Eat while they're still warm.