Note: These buns are cooked in steamers available in sets of two or three
racks. Chinese barbecued pork can be bought at Chinese food stores, or you
can make your own - this is basically tocino - the recipe will come out
soon! Be patient.
1. Place peeled and grated ginger, crushed garlic and oil in frying pan,
saute
gently for one minute. Add hoi sin sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce and sesame
oil, simmer for two minutes, stirring constantly. Add combined water and
cornflour, stir until sauce boils; reduce heat, simmer uncovered for two
minutes. Add very finely chopped pork, stir until combined. Remove pan from heat,
add finely chopped shallots, stir until combined. Allow pork mixture to become
complete cold.
2. to make the dough, sift flour, salt and baking powder into bowl. Rub in
softened lard until mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Add combined warm
water and vinegar, stir to a soft but pliable dough. Turn out on to lightly
flour surface; knead lightly. Cover dough with plastic food wrap, allow to
stand for 20 minutes. Knead lightly. Cut dough into 12 equal portions. Roll
each portion into a ball.
3. Take each ball of dough and roll out on floured surface to a 4 in circle.
Brush edge lightly with water. Place one round of dough in palm of hand.
Put one tablespoon of filling in center of round. Press edges of dough together.
4. Take the two ends of bun, bring them up over the pinched edge and twist together
firmly. Cut 12 pieces of greaseproof paper into 5in squares. Brush one side
lightly with oil. Place a bun upside down, so the smooth rounded side is
uppermost, on each oiled piece of paper.
5. Choose a saucepan slightly smaller than the diamer of the steamer. Fill
saucepan to about 1/3 full of water, bring to boil. Arrange buns on paper in single
layer in steamer. If using steamer with two or three racks, fill remaining racks
the same way. Plac eon top of first rack. Put lid on top. Steam over gently
boiling water for 20 minutes.
