• Prep Time >60 minutes
  • Cook Time 15 minutes
  • Serving For 20 people
  • Difficulty Hard
Favorite
This recipe is best with
Anchor Salted Butter

Recipe Ingredient

  • Starter dough:
  • 300g pau (or superfine) flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon instant dried yeast
  • 1/2 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 150-160ml water from rinsing
  • 100g rice
  • Dough A:
  • 300g Hong Kong flour
  • 60g starter dough
  • 150-160ml water
  • oil to grease bowl
  • Dough B:
  • 500g dough A
  • 100g sugar
  • 150g Hong Kong flour
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 20g vegetable shortening
  • 1 teaspoon ammonia (chow fun)
  • 25-30ml water
  • Charsiew sauce:
  • 110ml oil
  • 4 shallots, sliced thickly
  • 1 Bombay onion, sliced thickly
  • 30g ginger, sliced
  • 4 sprigs spring onion, cut into 10cm lengths
  • 40g smooth peanut butter
  • 40g fermented soy bean paste (tau cheo)
  • 150g sugar
  • 40g oyster sauce
  • 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
  • 300ml water
  • 40g tapioca flour
  • 40g chestnut flour
  • 25g cornflour
  • 75ml water
  • 50-100ml oil
  • Filling:
  • 500g chicken charsiew, diced
  • 300g charsiew sauce
  • 20g coriander, chopped
  • 20g sesame seeds, toasted

Instructions

    To make starter dough:
  1. Mix all the ingredients into a dough and leave at room temperature for 24 hours, covered with a piece of cloth.
  2. It should become foamy and smell tangy and yeasty.
  3. If the starter dough is not going to be used within the next 24 hours, it will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.
  4. To use, remove from the refrigerator 5 hours ahead.
  5. To make dough A:
  6. Make a well in the middle of the Hong Kong flour and add in the starter dough.
  7. Pour in some water and mix in a circular motion, adding water bit by bit.
  8. Knead until smooth.
  9. Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl; turn dough so that the oiled surface is facing upwards.
  10. Wrap bowl with cling film and keep in a cool place for 10 hours.
  11. To make dough B:
  12. Place the dough and sugar in a mixing bowl.
  13. Using the dough hook, mix on low speed for 1 minute, or until sugar is dissolved and the dough is smooth.
  14. Tip in half the Hong Kong flour and half the baking powder. Mix well.
  15. Add shortening and ammonia.
  16. Mix for 10 seconds and add the remaining flour and baking powder.
  17. Add water and mix until smooth.
  18. Set aside, covered.
  19. Allow to rest for 1 hour before use.
  20. To prepare sauce:
  21. Heat the oil in a wok and add the shallots, onion, ginger and spring onions.
  22. Fry for about 3 minutes until fragrant and golden.
  23. Turn off the heat and strain the oil.
  24. Return the oil to the wok.
  25. Over medium heat, stir-fry with the peanut butter and fermented soy bean paste.
  26. Add the combined sugar, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce and water.
  27. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3 minutes.
  28. Turn up the heat and pour in the tapioca, chestnut and corn flours followed by the water.
  29. Keep stirring continuously, as the mixture will thicken very fast.
  30. Stir for about 2 minutes until smooth.
  31. Transfer to a bowl and seal top with a layer of oil.
  32. Leave to cool overnight.
  33. To make filling:
  34. Mix all ingredients together.
  35. To assemble:
  36. Roll out the dough to resemble a sausage.
  37. Cut into nuggets of 20-30g each.
  38. Flatten lightly with your palm.
  39. Hold the flattened dough with your thumb and index finger and roll out the dough with a dim sum rolling pin until it forms a circle about 5cm in diameter.
  40. Scoop 1 heaped tablespoon (about 30g) of the filling onto the middle of a dough circle and pinch the edges together.
  41. Place the pau on a small square piece of parch.
  42. Leave to rise for 15 minutes.
  43. Steam pau over rapidly boiling water for 12 to 15 minutes.

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1 thought on “Char Siew Pau”

  1. Carris - August 11, 2016 at 10:16 am

    Hi Amy, does the rice have to be grinded before adding to dough starter?

    Thanks.
    CW

    Reply

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