Steamed Pork Buns (Bao)

They may not look like much from the outside, but these soft buns filled with smoky-sweet barbecued pork are one of my favorite foods.  I fell in love with them in Singapore 12 years ago and have been a huge fan ever since.

When we go to dim sum, I always eat far too many of these, and I'm so happy I now know how to make them at home!  

(adapted from The Chinese Kitchen by Eileen Yin-Fei Lo)

Sauce:

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 1/2 tsp soy sauce

2 tsp ketchup

2 tsp sugar

pinch white pepper

2 tsp corn starch

1/4 cup chicken stock

Filling:

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1/2 cup diced onion

3/4 cup char siu pork, cut into 1/4" pieces
2 tsp Chinese rice wine

1/2 tsp sesame oil

dough:

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 cup sugar

6 tbsp milk

3 tbsp water

1 tbsp vegetable oil

Combine sauce ingredients and mix well.  Set aside.

To make the filling: heat the vegetable oil on high in a large saucepan and spread to coat the pan thinly.  Add the onion, lower heat to medium, and cook for about 5 minutes until the onion is light brown.  Add the pork and cook for about 3 minutes.  Add the rice wine and mix well.  Stir the sauce, pour into the pan, and cook for about 2 minutes, or until the sauce thickens.  Remove from heat, and stir in sesame oil.  Set aside, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate until needed.

To make the dough: Mix the flour, baking powder, and sugar together in a medium bowl.  Make a well in the center, and add milk and water.  Stir until liquid is absorbed, then add the oil.

Knead for about 15 minutes, adding a little water if too dry or flour if too wet.  

Once the dough is smooth and elastic, return to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to rest for one hour.

To assemble:  Roll the dough into a cylinder about 12" long and cut into 12 equal pieces.  Keeping the unused dough covered with a damp cloth, work with one piece at a time.  Flatten slightly, spoon about 1 1/2 tbsp into the middle, and pinch the dough together to enclose the filling.  Set onto a small square of wax paper, and repeat with remaining dough.

Bring a medium saucepan filled with water to a boil.  Place a bamboo steamer on top and arrange the buns so they have room to expand (leave at least 1 1/2" between them).  Steam for 15-20 minutes, then turn off the heat, and serve.

Char Siu Pork

Char siu pork was like an exciting new taste discovery to me when I was just beginning to cook.  I needed some for a recipe, so we went to the Asian grocery store and bought some.  I was intrigued by the appearance of the bright red meat, and also by the sweet, smoky flavor.  I continued buying Char siu to use in recipes until this weekend.  I discovered that my favorite Chinese cookbook had a recipe, and it didn't look too difficult.  

I bought the wrong kind of pork (butt instead of loin), sliced it much more thinly than usual, and it was still absolutely wonderful.  I don't think I'll ever be able to go back to store bought!

(adapted from The Chinese Kitchen by Eileen Yin-Fei Lo)

About 2 pounds of pork butt or pork loin

4 tsp soy sauce

1/3 cup honey

1/4 tsp salt

4 tsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp Chinese rice wine

4 tsp hoisin sauce

1/8 tsp ground white pepper

Cut the pork into slices about 1/2" to 1" thick.

Prick all over both sides with a fork.

Line a roasting pan with foil.  Place the pork in a single layer in the bottom of the pan.

In a small bowl, whisk together all remaining ingredients and pour over the meat.  Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate 2 to 4 hours.

Heat the oven to 450 F.  Place the roasting pan on a rack in the middle and roast for about 25 minutes.  Turn the meat over and baste every 5 to 6 minutes.  If the sauce dries out, add some boiling water to the pan.  Some of the sauce may burn in the pan, but the meat should be fine.  Check for doneness by removing one piece of pork and slicing in the middle to see if it is cooked through.

Remove from the pan to cool.

Singapore Noodles

Singapore was the first foreign country I ever visited.  My family was living in Australia, but that didn't really count as foreign, because as my mom liked to say, it was a perfect mix of California and the UK.  

But Singapore, to my 13-year old eyes, was really foreign.  I remember walking past Hindu temples in the Indian section of the city in awe of how it was unlike anywhere I'd ever been.  We ate at hawker centers, filling up on steamed pork buns and noodles that cost startlingly little.  I even tried durian for the only time in my life, holding my nose as I slurped up the sweet yellow flesh.

I loved Singapore, and I desperately want to go back soon.   This recipe is a quick version of the fragrant curry noodles that are sold all over the city.  In a temporary lapse in brain function, I completely forgot that I have a recipe for them in one of my cookbooks.  I turned to google, which never lets me down, and found this recipe on the Sugarlens blog. I didn't have shrimp, so I used tofu instead. It was delicious!

(adapted from The Wisdom of the Chinese Kitchen cookbook by Grace Young, seen at Sugarlens)

Singapore Rice Noodles:

- 8 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 8 ounces rice vermicelli
- 3 tablespoons thin soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice cooking wine
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 ounces extra firm tofu, thinly sliced and cooked in a frying pan until golden
- 1 cup cabbage, cut into julienne strips
- 1/2 cup carrots, cut into julienne strips
- 1/2 cup finely shredded scallions
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 4 ounces Chinese barbecued pork, store-bought or homemade, cut into julienne strips

In a medium bowl, soak the mushrooms in 1/4 cup cold water for 30 minutes, or until softened. Drain and squeeze dry. Cut off and discard stems and thinly slice the caps.

In a large bowl, soak the rice noodles in enough cold water to cover for 20 to 30 minutes, or until noodles are limp and softened. Drain in a colander and set aside. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, and salt. Set aside.

Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the vegetable oil and sliced mushrooms, and stir-fry 30 seconds. Add scallions, cabbage and carrots. Cook until tender. Add the curry powder and stir-fry 10 seconds, or until fragrant. Stir soy sauce mixture and swirl it into the wok. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil over high heat.

Add the drained rice noodles and return to a boil, stirring noodles to completely coat in curry mixture. Cover and cook over medium-high heat 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until noodles are just tender. Add the tofu and barbecued pork, and cook, stirring, 1 to 2 minutes, or until liquid has been absorbed by the noodles. Serve immediately.

Pot Stickers

I have made these quite a few times and I love them.  I find the repetition of filling and folding them is soothing, and they taste amazing!  They would not be complete without the soy-vinegar dipping sauce, which you see in the photo above.

The filling is primarily composed of ground pork and blanched bok choy.  For the first time ever, I ground the pork myself, using the meat grinder attachment that came free with my KitchenAid mixer.  I love this thing!  I'm going to look for more ways to use it, including to make my own sausages some time in the near future. 

Recipe adapted from The Chinese Kitchen by Eileen Yin-Fei Lo

makes about 25-30 pot stickers

1 quart water

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 lb bok choy, cut into 1/2" pieces (stalks and leaves separated)

1/2 lb lean pork, ground

1 finely sliced green onion

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp minced fresh ginger

1 tsp Chinese rice wine

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

1 medium egg, beaten

2 tsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp cornstarch

pinch freshly ground white pepper

25-30 pot sticker wrappers

2 tbsp peanut oil

cold water

To blanch the bok choy, place the water, salt, and baking soda in a pot, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. 

Add the bok choy stalks, stir, and cook for 1 minute.  

Add the leaves, stir, and cook for another minute. 

Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water.

Squeeze in a towel to remove excess water.

Combine the bok choy, pork, and remaining ingredients (through white pepper) and mix well.
To assemble: spread about 1 1/2 tsp of filling in the center of a wrapper.
Dip your finger in water and trace around the outside of the circle.
Fold the wrapper in half, containing the filling inside.
Pleat the edge to seal.
To pan-fry: heat 2 tbsp peanut oil in a large frying pan over high heat until very hot.

Place the pot stickers in the pan, touching lightly.

Cook for 3 minutes, then pour 1/2 cup of cold water into the skillet and cover.

Cook until the water evaporates.

Lower the heat and continue to fry until the dumplings are lightly browned on the bottom and nearly translucent on top.

Shake the pan while cooking so they do not stick.

Remove and drain on paper towels, then repeat with remaining dumplings.

Serve with rice vinegar and soy sauce mixed in a one-to-one ratio.

Bok Choy Chicken Soup

This is a great, comforting chicken soup.  It's a  wonderful recipe from my favorite Chinese cookbook; I can't believe I've made so many things from the book but never this!

(adapted from The Chinese Kitchen by Eilenen Yin-Fei Lo)

Marinade:

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp oyster sauce

2 tsp chopped fresh ginger

2 tsp Chinese rice wine

1 tsp sesame oil

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

pinch white pepper

2 tsp cornstarch

Soup:

2 boneless skinless chicken thighs, thinly sliced

3 cups chicken broth

a 1/2" piece of ginger, lightly smashed

1/2 lb bok choy

2 tsp Chinese rice wine

Combine the chicken and marinade ingredients in a bowl.

Mix well, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 15 minutes.
Separate the bok choy stems and leaves, and cut both parts into thin slices.
Put the broth and ginger in a pot, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat.  

Add the bok choy stalks, stir, and return to a boil.

Lower the heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes or until the stalks become tender.

Turn the heat back to high, add the leaves, stir, and return to a boil.

Cook for 2 minutes.

Add the chicken and marinade and stir well.

Bring to a boil and cook for a two minutes, then add the wine.

Cook, stirring, until the chicken is done.

Transfer to bowls and serve.