Chinese Pork Buns! I know that got your attention, those words could stop me in my tracks. Now this recipe takes a little more time but I can assure you it is worth it. The bread is soft and the filling is rich, savoury and slightly sweet. As with all yeasted bread making proving is required and so these are not spur of the moment snacks. Rather they require a little forethought and planning that being said they are not too difficult to make and are such a joy to eat.
So many times I am asked ‘if you could only eat one cuisine what would it be?’ Of course this is an obscene question. Why must we deny ourselves any foods? But when pushed Chinese is usually the one I settle on. I have of course got other Asian inspired recipes on the blog, this is my first baking recipe that hails from China. They are so delicious and the textures are glorious. The bread is soft and yielding and there is a secret to that.
The secret is a paste that you make with a little of the flour mixed with water and milk. It is very similar to a roux you would make to thicken a sauce. This is called a tangzhong, beating this in with the dough mix will result in a softer bread that will remain soft for longer than traditionally made breads. It is a simple technique that really does yield great results.
When we think of baking we often think of sweet treats. Baking savoury snacks is just as rewarding and oh so pleasing. I find people respond so much to these Chinese Pork Buns. They are one of those bites I am always asked to bring to a party. I will always see smiles if these buns are in attendance. I urge you to set aside time to try these and assure you if you do it will not be your last time.
These are prefect bites to eat if you were having a movie night or a party. Your guests will gobble them down no problem at all. I would happily eat these over and over again. If you are looking for more Asian inspired recipes then have a look at these:
Orange Chicken
Beef & Broccoli Rice
Sticky Garlic & Honey Chicken
I hope you enjoy these Chinese Pork Buns as much as I do. If you try them, let me know what you think in the comments below. Share your pictures with me on social media and use #CUBBintheKitchen to be featured in my stories. Happy eating!
Chinese Pork Buns
Ingredients
For the Buns
- 580 grams White Bread Flour
- 120 ml Water
- 235 ml Milk I used Oat Milk
- 55 grams Caster Sugar
- 0.5 tsp Salt
- 7 grams Fast Action Yeast
- 2 Eggs
- 3 tbsp Melted Butter
For the Filling
- 240 grams Lean Pork
- 1.5 tbsp Cornflour
- 4 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
- 2 tbsp Brown Sugar
- 1 tsp Sesame Oil
- 1 tsp Rice Vinegar
- 2 tbsp Honey
- 0.5 tsp Chilli Flakes
- 1 Clove Garlic
- 1 tbsp Fresh Ginger Grated
Instructions
- Make the secret weapon – Firstly take 30g of the Flour, 55ml of Milk and the 120ml of Water and mix together in a saucepan until the flour is dissolved. Then place over a medium heat and stir until you have a thick paste it should take between 3-4 minutes. Set aside, this is your tangzhong.
- Dough Time – Place the remaining Flour, Sugar, Yeast & Salt into the bowl of a stand mixer equipped with a dough hook, and mix to combine. Then add in your Tangzhong, the remaining Milk, 2 Eggs and Melted Butter. Mix until it comes together in a soft dough then knead. This will take around 18 minutes of kneading. Once the dough is smooth and bouncy place into an oiled bowl and cover. Set aside to rise for 1 hour.
- Now onto the Filling – Dice up the pork into small cubes about half a centimetre. In a bowl mix together the Cornflour and the Soy Sauce until dissolved then add the sugar and again stir to dissolve. Next add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Place the diced Pork into the sauce and let sit for 10 minutes. Place a saucepan over a medium heat. Using a fork or slotted spoon remove the pork from the sauce and pop into the hot pan and cook through, about 5-7 minutes. Once the pork is cooked tip in the sauce and stir. The sauce will thicken and change to a deep brown. Allow to cook for 3-5 minutes until the sauce is thick and glossy. Take off the heat and cool to room temperature. It will get even stickier as it cools.
- Make the Buns – After the dough has had 1 hour tip onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 10 equal portions. Shape each portion into a circle making the edges thinner and the middle thicker, this will stop the tops bursting. Place 1 tablespoon of the cold filling into the centre of the circle and bring the edge up and crimp together really well. Place crimped side down on a baking tray lined with parchment. Once all buns are filled and sealed place a clean tea towel over and let the rest for 40 minutes. During this time preheat the oven to 200°C.
- Baking Time – Once the 40 minutes are up brush the tops of each bun with beaten Egg and a sprinkle of Sesame Seeds and bake for 20-30 minutes, check after 20 then you can check after another 5. The buns should be a deep golden brown and if tapped on the underneath should sound hollow. Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before biting into them, These are delicious hot and at room temperature.
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