BAKED CHAR SIEW PAU

After the steam BBQ pau, I suddenly thought of making a bake version. I love baked pau and since barbecue pork is conveniently available near our place and i have enough time to make it i decided to pass by the stall and grabbed about a quarter kilo of char siew.

If Steam Char Siew Paus MUST have a burst, cracked top, the Baked Char Siew Pau's signature is a crusty, flaky bun instead of soft bread-like pau. The procedure may seem overwhelming but actually it's just easy and even fun to make. 

Here's how 😉

BAKED CHAR SIEW PAU

Makes 9 pau at about 32g each

Ingredients:

Water Dough – makes about 206g raw dough

Divide about 22g each

3/8 c all purpose flour

¼ c bread flour

3 tbsp oil

1 ½ tbsp caster sugar

½ tsp light syrup

3 tbsp water

Using a stand mixer, mix ingredients for about 10 mins to form a smooth dough, I know this is just a little dough but it’s worth placing in the stand mixer, after mixing, use a spatula to round it into ball and let it sit in the bowl to rest for 15 minutes.  When done, divide into 9.

Oil Dough -makes about 93g raw dough

Divide about 10g each

3/8 c all purpose flour

2 ¾ tbsp oil

Using spatula, mix ingredients in a bowl to form a smooth dough, rest for 15 minutes.  When done, divide into 9.

I made small little balls ready on the side for easy grabbing and some flour to dust in case needed.

Brushing/Garnishing

Eggyolk lightly beaten 

Sesame seeds

Filling (recipe)

Pork BBQ filling or any of your preferred meat

Assembling:

1. Grab one ball of water dough flatten it. Get one ball of oil dough and place it at the center of water dough and wrap.

2.  Using a rolling pin (small one) flatten the dough away from you, it will look like a flat log dough. Roll like a swiss roll. -- flat and roll lengthwise/ vertical---

3. Without moving the rolled dough flatten again sideways. Then roll like a swiss roll. --- flat and roll crosswise/ vertical---

4. Take the roll, and form a ball, then lay on the counter and flatten to form a circle about  4cm in diameter.

5. Place filling (about ½ tbsp) at the center.

6. Bring the sides together. Pinch and twist to seal.

7. Place in a baking tray lined with parchment.

8. Brush pau's with beaten eggyolk and sprinkle with sesame seeds. (no need to rest, just bake when your're done preparing the pau).

9. Bake at 190°C for 25 minutes until golden brown.

I accidentally add water in my yolk which i shouldn't so the color is lighter. Pure eggyolk wash will give you a deeper  yellow color, so use just eggyolks.

That's the crusty, flaky skin i want!

CHAR SIEW PAU

Char siew pau or Cha siu bao 叉烧包 is a Cantonese style bun filled with pork barbecue.  A dim sum which gained popularity not just among Asian communities but to the rest of the people globally. As they say: "East meets West!"😊

A distinctive mark of Char siew pau is a burst on top of the bun. The top cracks open as it is steamed, partially revealing the goodness of the filling.😋

Making pau at home is a matter of pride😉, as dim sums and dumplings are just around the corner, even supermarkets are selling these gems and they come affordable and delicious too!

Today's version is one of our favourite dim sum -- steamed Char siew bun, using a stall bought barbecue pork. As two meat roast stalls emerged just across our place and I decided to try it in our bun and we discovered it is just right for this pau.👍

CHAR SIEW PAU (CHA SIU BAO)
Yields about 655g raw dough

If 40g each you’ll have about 16 pau

If 30g each you’ll have about 21 pau 

PAU Dough:

2 c hongkong flour

3/4 c wheat starch

3/4 c powdered sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp instant yeast

2/3 c water

½ tsp lemon

2 tbsp oil (I used Extra Light Olive Oil)

In a mixing bowl, place flour, starch, sugar, instant yeast, water and lemon.

Mix together to form rough dough. When done, add Oil and continue kneading for about 15 minutes to form a smooth dough.  

Proof for an hour. Then prepare the filling.

Filling:

1 tbsp oil for sautéing

250g cooked char siu

1 head garlic, minced

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tbsp LKK superior light sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

3 drops of red  gel color

Salt and pepper if needed

1 ½ tbsp cornstarch

½ c water

Spring onions to be added when the filling is cooled and before filling it to the dough.

Mix soya sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, sugar and red color in a bowl. Set aside.

Pour oil in a pan.

Sauté garlic and onion.

Add mix sauces. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Dissolve cornstarch in water and pour into the filling.

Simmer to thicken the sauce.

When done,  remove from heat and let it cool.

When cooled, add spring onion and mix ready to use.

Assembling:

Divide the dough at 30g each.Prepare hk flour on the side to dust for easy rolling and wrapping.

Get one portion, flatten with rolling pin and place about half tablespoon of filling at the center.

Bring the sides together, wrap, fold the dough up and twist.

Place in a square parchment paper (2”x3”)

Arrange the bun in a steamer, about 6 pcs in one container.

Steam immediately when done, no need to rest the pau.

Steaming:

Using an electric steamer, steaming one layer at a time with {cheese} cloth cover.

Add water in the steamer and 1 tsp of white vinegar.

Bring to a high steam, then

Place pau in a steaming water {Do not open the steamer while it is steaming}

Steam for 8 minutes.

When done, remove from the steamer and set aside to cool with the cloth cover on. Or serve steaming hot!

Note: When cooled this can be placed in a ziplock and freeze.  Steam when needed.

BRAISED PORK with RADISH

I have extra pork belly and a piece of radish in the fridge. Time to cook this duo as weekend is almost near and its time to replenish the meat and vegetables for the coming week's stash. 

Radishes (Daikon or white radish) are sometimes less appealing vege in the shelves, in particular, among young chefs, but chinese cuisine uses radish in majority of their cooking especially braised dishes.  Radish is a digestive tract helper as it is rich in fiber, an important nutrient for digestion. And, from a Chinese Medicine perspective, it is believed to provide cooling effect in the body, enough reason to gain popularity among cooks and chefs.

Tonight's special is--

BRAISED PORK with RADISH (Daikon)

Ingredients:

500 g pork belly, cubed

1 pc medium size white radish, cubed

¼ c LKK Superior Light Soy Sauce + 2 tbsp soy sauce

¼ c Oyster Sauce

3 pcs anise

5 pcs cloves

1 head garlic, minced

1 large onions, chopped

Back pepper

5 c water

EVOO

Pour EVOO in a pan and add pork to brown.

Add garlic and onion, stir.

Add black pepper and 2 tbsp soy sauce.

Add water, anise and  cloves.

Bring to boil until meat is tender.

Add raddish to soften.

Reduce sauce and check taste according to preference.

When done remove from heat and scoop into a serving plate.

Garnish with spring onions.

Serve with steamed rice.

SALMON ADOBO

Filipino Adobo is one of the classic dishes of meat or vegetable  and cooked primarily in soya sauce and vinegar, usually serve over steamed rice. Anyone is familiar with the dish not just for get-together but for pot luck meals as well. A trip by the beach is never complete without adobo and rice!

Today, i am trying another variant of adobo this time using fish. It's a hit so I am sharing this healthy delicious viand.


SALMON ADOBO

Ingredients:

1/4 kl Salmon Slab/ fillet- clean and debone with skin on, sliced into big chunks

3 tbsp EVOO or canola oil

1 head garlic minced

1 large onion, chopped

3 tbsp c LKK Superior Light Soya Sauce (+/-)

2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar or  Apple Cider 

Vinegar (+/-)

Black pepper

Peppercorn

2 bay leaves

Pour oil in a small pot.

Sauté garlic and onion.

Add soya sauce and vinegar, stir to combine.

Add Salmon Chunks, pepper, peppercorn and bay leaves.  Cover the pot and simmer to slightly reduce the sauce. 

Mix to cover salmon with sauce. 

Serve with steamed rice.

MUSHROOM MEE SUA

I haven't been to Japan, but I've seen Taiwan and bedazzled by the beauty of Taipei, probably because of comparison from where I came from.

I'm amazed how Taiwan particularly in Taipei managed to present their highest standard of food packaging. It was the first time I ate McDonald Fried Chicken in a sealed parchment paper, as I tear it open,  it is smoking hot! , literally smoking. The milk tea i loved from 7-Eleven comes in a small carton with paper straw attached to it. The delicious pineapple cakes individually wrapped and packed elegantly in boxes which I have mistaken as a jewelry box, same with their variety of chocolates.

Every time, always, when i enter the mall or a shop, the call of Huānyíng! Huānyíng! 欢迎  is in the air followed by a smiling face in front of you. So in my entire stay, it was never a window shopping but a shopping impulse caused by Huānyíng! 😆

Food? This, i never did miss! I had their famous Ting Kua Kua (TKK) Fried Chicken  just outside SOGO Mall, lucky,  I befriended the cook and gave me extra pieces whenever i grab a pack. Off we went to Shi Lin, the famous and the largest night market in Taipei District where dozens and dozens of street food lined up for a grab. Snack bites like grilled squid, huge fried crispy chicken, the smell of stinky tofu and sausages on the bones are amongst which caught my palate. It's weird taste--more of an authentic Chinese spices in it which i was so ignorant at that time. BUT, they are actually, interestingly aromatic and distinctively flavourful, delicious! An amazing signature taste of Taipei one wouldn't miss.

Another street food to hail while in Taipei is the famous OYSTER MEE SUA. Whenever i had this, i set aside the oysters {sorry not a fan of oysters}. Little did i know one can order mee sua without oysters , ha! ha! ha! 

Today, I'll venture on taiwan mee sua, but with chicken and mushrooms, instead, and I must admit, without the mushrooms, the texture and the taste is almost Shi Lin!!!

CHICKEN MUSHROOM MEE SUA

Shi Lin Market Inspired, Taiwan street food

¼ part chicken breast, boiled, shredded and set aside including the boiled water

2 tbsp EVOO   

1 head garlic

I medium onions

1 punnet mushroom

10 c water

1 ½ knorr chicken cube (or you can use chicken broth)

Salt and pepper

2 tbsp oyster sauce

2 tsbp LKK Superior Light Soy Sauce

1 tbsp dark soya sauce

1 tbsp black vinegar

About 200g mee sua (flour vermicelli noodles)

Spring onions

Coriander (optional)

1 tbsp cornstarch mix with 1 tbsp water to thicken the sauce

Black Vinegar to drizzle before eating

Boil Chicken breast. Save the broth and shred the chicken, set aside.

Pour EVOO in a pot.

Sauté garlic  and onion , then add mushrooms.

Remove from the pot then place it in a blender and blend. Then return back to the pot.

Add the saved broth from chicken and add additional to make 10 c of water.

Drop knorr cubes and mix.

Mix sauces in a bowl and add in the broth.

Boil then add mee sua.

Simmer til noodle is cooked.

Add dissolved cornstarch and mix.

Serve hot with shredded chicken, chopped spring onions and coriander and drizzle some black vinegar.

PUTONG BIGAS (PUTONG PUTI)

Traditional steamed rice cake or Putong Bigas (Putong Puti) is a steamed delicacy made of rice soaked overnight for fermentation before grinding and steaming.

I grew up with this traditional steamed cake made of rice on a banana leaf bought from a wet market in the early morning of weekends. This is  one of my favourite times with Mamang going for an early marketing (dawn to be exact) to grab some freshly cooked kakanin of bibingka, puto, suman, kutchinta and cassava cakes. All comes in small slices displayed in Bilao. We never leave the market without passing by our "suki" of kakanins. And i always had an extra piece of puto just for myself courtesy of "Manang vendor", those hot steaming white bun and a smell of fresh steamed banana leaf, hhhmmm 😊. I always put a smile on Manang's face as I do my "puto sniffing" before taking a bite,   that's how i got my free piece! 😆

I cooked puto on several occasions and this is the first time I am adding this to my collection. This uses rice flour instead of going thru the soaking and grinding thingy of rice. Saves time.

PUTONG BIGAS

makes 18 pcs of 8cm moulder, using 1 layer of electric steamer

2 c rice flour

¼ tsp salt

1 ½ tbsp baking powder

¾ c caster sugar

1 c water

1 pack - 200 ml coconut cream
1 tsp vanilla (optional)

Banana leaves

Moulder

In a bowl, mix flour, salt, baking powder and sugar.

Add water, vanilla (if using) and coconut milk. Stir to combine.

Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next day before you do the steaming, prepare the moulds.

Heat banana leaves over stove to soften it and easy to place inside the mould.

Using a ring or small platter, cut a round shape that fits into your mould.

Then place banana inside the mould.

Take your batter and fill the mould about full.

Arrange molds in a steamer and steam puto for about 8 minutes.

Remove and ready to serve.

EARL GREY CHIFFON CAKE

Boba Teas or Boba Pearl Milk Teas are the new craze in town for quite sometime now. When the circuit breaker took effect and the Boba Tea shops were about to close down, Boba Milk Tea enthusiast went on buying spree like as if the shops would not open anymore. That's how they love their Boba Milk Tea.

Luckily, I am not a boba pearl fanatic, I am more of a grass jelly person 😁, i love my milk tea with grass jelly instead. BUT, once in a while i do like pearls on desserts and i thought of cooking my pearls and top it on a tea cake. Hhhhmmm tastes interesting!  With the earl greys' appetizing aroma, it's the best flavour for my cake.

To make it less tasking, bake the cake a day ahead, chill and finish it the next day before serving.

EARL GREY CAKE

Ingredients

5 eggyolks

½ c oil

1 tsp vanilla 

2 tsp grits of earl grey tea leaves/ 2 bags of earl grey tea

½ c earl grey tea (3 tea bags infused in 2 c boiled water), cooled

¼ c caster sugar

1 c cake flour

1 tsp baking powder

Meringue

5 egg whites

¼ tsp cream of tartar

½ c caster sugar

Using a baking tray (12x 16cm)

Bake at 160° C for 25 minutes

Cook and ring out 3 round cakes

Condensed milk Buttermilk Frosting:

1 bar unsalted butter (200g) 

½ c condensed milk

½ c earl grey tea

1 tsp vanilla

Cream butter. Then add condensed milk, tea and vanilla. Make sure to cover the mixing bowl. Beat at medium speed then increase to high speed.

As the cream comes together it will curdle first, but continue beating at high speed until you attain frosting consistency. This will take a while ;-) be patient.

When done ready to use.

Place it in the fridge for pouring the boba pearl the next day ;-)

BOBA Pearl

Proportion is 7:1 (7 c water: 1 c pearl )

Boil water

Add pearls and wait til it floats. Stir once in a while to prevent the  pearl from sticking at the bottom of the pan. Cook for 45 minutes covered while stirring once in a while.

When done remove from heat and let it sit to rest for another 15 minutes, still covered.

When done, drain the water and run tap water over pearls.

Place boba pearl in sugar syrup (1 c water, 1 c muscovado sugar,  simmer til thickens)

TUNA PANDESAL

One base dough recipe can lead to a variety of emerging recipes.  Best example is pandesal.  A classic original pandesal is transformed into filled pandesal, toasted buns and even sandwiches of several layers of greens, protein and cheese. Whatever transformation it become, sweet or savoury, the end product is always palatable.


TUNA PANDESAL

Pandesal dough using this recipe. Use only 300 grams dough and the rest make it into plain buttermilk pandesal.

Tuna Filling:

makes 6 pieces bun.

1 head garlic, minced
1 medium onion, minced
1 can tuna flakes
1 tsp LKK superior Light Soy Sauce
pepper
spring onions, chopped
2 tsp EVOO

In a pan sauté garlic and onions.
Add tuna flakes. Stir in soy sauce and pepper.
When done, add spring onions.
Cool and ready to use.

Pandan Leaves top blanket.

When dough is ready, divide the raw dough into 50 grams each. Flatten each small dough and fill about tablespoon of tuna filling.
Pull the sides together and twist to seal.
Place it on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, bottom down.
Rest the buns for about an hour or until double the size.
When buns are ready, get a washed pandan leaf, wrap it around the bun and secure with toothpick. Do this to the rest the buns.

Bake buns in pre-heated oven at 175 Degrees Celsius for about 15 minutes.
Remove and ready to serve.

THAI PINEAPPLE RICE

Who does not love fried rice?

Waking up in the morning in the aroma of roasted garlic is a scent of fried rice in the making. My son mastered (for his age) the fried rice making: simple as garlic rice to a more complex ingredients of Yang Chow. The dish is simple but the preparations, the ingredients as well as the seasonings make it a little complex. A morning without fried rice for him is like a morning without coffee for others-- the day is incomplete!

Sharing another Thai dish recipe served with an exotic touch--

THAI PINEAPPLE RICE

Ingredients

10 pcs shelled shrimps/ prawns

2 c cooked rice

1 head garlic, minced

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium bell pepper/ poivron

1 carrots, chopped

1 c fresh pineapple chunks

½ c baked whole cashew nuts

1 tbsp LKK Superior Light Soy Sauce

1 tsp Hao Chi (knorr seasoning)

1 tbsp sesame oil

2 tsp curry powder

Spring onions, chopped

EVOO

In a pan, add oil to pan fry the shrimps.

Remove and set aside.

In the same pan sauté garlic and onions.

Add bell pepper, pineapple, carrots.  Stir and cook for about a minute.

Add cashew nuts, soy sauce, seasoning and sesame oil. Stir and taste.

Then add curry powder stir to combine.

Add rice and shrimp/prawns mix everything.

When done, sprinkle with spring onion.

Toss rice and scoop into a plate or your prepared pineapple bowl.

Serve and enjoy.

COFFEE FUDGE BROWNIE

It's been raining these past few days and a cup of hot beverage is a perfect drink but what could it be? Chocolate, Tea or Coffee? Why not have them all in one go? 😊 This is the  reason i merged the two: Chocolates & Coffee then served Tea on the side.  Problem Solved with gooey, fudgy coffee brownie!

Try it --

COFFEE FUDGE BROWNIE

Using a 7x10 rectangular pan.

Ingredients:

A:

170 g unsalted butter

½ c brown sugar

3 tbsp oil

2 tsp instant granulated coffee (not 3-in -1)

B:

2 eggs and 1 yolk

¾ c white sugar

C:

1 c all-purpose flour

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

½ c cocoa powder

¾ c chocolate chips

½ c chopped walnuts

Method: 

A. Place butter, ½ sugar, oil and coffee in the pan and heat to dissolve. Set aside to cool.

B.  In a mixing bowl, add eggs and 3/4 c sugar and using a whisk mix slowly and in one direction to combine.

A+B: Slowly add butter mixture and mix.

C: Using a spatula fold in flour, baking powder, salt, chocolate chips and nuts, then mix. (30 stir in one direction -- mixing rule)

 Scrape batter into the pan.

Bake at 175° for 25 minutes. Don’t overbake.

Slowly transfer in a cooling rack before slicing (at least 15 minutes rest)

Notes:

A good brownie has a shiny, cracked texture on top.

Once the flour is added, the 30 stir in one direction applies.

Do not overbake nor overcook.

Slice when it's cooled.