Recipe Ingredient
- For the charsiew:
- 700g pork cut into long strips following the grain
- Seasoning:
- 7 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp light soya sauce
- 2 cloves garlic finely pounded
- 1 tsp rose wine ('Mei Kwai Loh')
- For the filling:
- 500g charsiew, diced
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp dark soya sauce
- 1/2 tbsp corn flour
- 1/2 tbsp tapioca flour
- 2 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- For the pau:
- 25g fresh yeast or 12g instant dried yeast granules
- 2 tbsp lukewarm water
- 1 tsp sugar
- 500g Water Lily flour or Hong Kong flour
- 4 tsp double-action baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 250ml water
- 6 tbsp sugar
- 5 tbsp shortening
Instructions
- To make the charsiew: Combine seasoning ingredients in a mixing bowl. Season meat, mixing thoroughly with hand until it becomes sticky. This indicates that the sugar has dissolved and will glaze the meat. Meat should be marinated for six to eight hours.
- Just before roasting the meat, brush with one teaspoon honey, one teaspoon dark soya sauce and a pinch of red colouring (if desired). You may find it easier to do this in a small bowl.
- Put the strips of meat on the rack and roast for 10 minutes on each side at 200 ºC. Reduce heat slightly and cook until well done. Baste meat from time to time.
- Footnote: Grease rack with lard or oil. Line the roasting pan with foil to collect drippings for basting. Baste meat from time to time while roasting.
- To make the filling: Combine all filling ingredients except for sesame seeds. Lightly fry in a non-stick pan until well mixed. Add sesame seeds. Remove and leave aside to cool. Chill well in the refrigerator, preferably overnight.
- To make the dough: To start the yeast, crumble the fresh yeast into pieces and drop into the lukewarm water together with the sugar. Sprinkle a little flour over the yeast. Leave aside to stand for 15 minutes until a frothy head appears. The yeast mixture is then ready for use.
- Sift flour and double-action baking powder into a mixing bowl. Stir in salt and sugar and mix well. Make a well in the centre. Pour in the yeast mixture and mix lightly. Add the water and mix well. Add shortening and work into a dough.
- Knead dough well until soft and leave aside for one hour to one and a half hours, or until it has doubled in size. Cover with a damp cloth. Punch down dough and knead on a lightly floured table top into a long roll.
- To assemble the pau: Cut dough into even pieces. To shape into a pau, flatten a piece of dough by rolling it out, keeping the shape circular.
- Put some filling in the centre and bring up the sides to seal. Place on a piece of round grease-proof paper, pleated side up. Leave to rise for 15 minutes.
- Steam pau over rapidly boiling water for 12 to 15 minutes.
