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Rate

5 from 5 votes

The filling of this Char Siew Pao is made with homemade Char Siew. The paos are made using yeast dough method, paos made in this way are less likely to harden when cooled.

This recipe replaces 30% of pao flour with wheat starch to lower the percentage of gluten of the dough, which will yield paos with softer texture. If you prefer paos with chewy texture, you may use only pao flour.

You can make this delicious Char Siew Pao in advance and store in freezer for up to 1 month for later consumption. Steam again the frozen pao for 20-25 minutes until completely heated before enjoying. To shorten the re-steaming time to 10-15 minutes, you may thaw the frozen pao in refrigerator a night before steaming.

Check out other popular pao recipes from us: Pao recipes collection

CHINESE VERSION: 叉烧包-外皮口感松软, 叉烧馅味浓郁

Char Siew Pao
 

Char Siew Pao/ Cha Shao Bao (BBQ Pork Chinese Steamed Bun) | MyKitchen101en

Yields: 12

Ingredients

Ingredients for char siew filling: (Yields: 400 g)

  • 1 ½ tbsps cooking oil
  • 1 pc shallot (chopped)
  • 1 tbsp plain flour
  • 110 g water
  • 30 g fine sugar
  • 15 g (2 ½ tsps) oyster sauce
  • ½ tsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tsp dark soy sauce
  • 250 g homemade char siew (cut into small pieces)(Please refer: Making Char Siew with Non-Stick Pan)

Ingredients for yeast dough:

  • 140 g pao flour
  • 1 tsp instant yeast
  • 25 g fine sugar
  • 100 g plain water

Ingredients for pao dough:

  • 70 g pao flour
  • 90 g wheat starch
  • ¼ tsp fine salt
  • 25 g fine sugar
  • 35 g plain water
  • 20 g vegetable oil

For char siew filling:

1 Preheat cooking oil, cook shallot until fragrant. Add in plain flour, cook until fragrant. Combine water, sugar, oyster sauce, light soy sauce and dark soy sauce, add in, cook until thickened. Add in char siew, mix well.

Char Siew Pao/Cha Shao Bao (BBQ Pork Chinese Steamed Bun)
 

2 Transfer char siew filling to heat resistant container, set aside until slightly cooled, then cover and keep refrigerated for later use. (Reminder: Chilled filling is easier to handle.)

Char Siew Pao/Cha Shao Bao (BBQ Pork Chinese Steamed Bun)

3 Divide chilled char siew filling into 12 portions.

Char Siew Pao/Cha Shao Bao (BBQ Pork Chinese Steamed Bun)
 

For pao dough:

1 Prepare yeast dough: Combine water, instant yeast and sugar, stir until dissolved. Add in pao flour, mix into a dough. Cover the dough. Put a large cup of hot water in cooler bag (or microwave oven/oven), put in yeast dough, zip the bag and proof for 3 hours.

Char Siew Pao/Cha Shao Bao (BBQ Pork Chinese Steamed Bun)

2 Pao dough: Combine pao flour, wheat starch, salt and sugar, add to yeast dough, mix well. Add in water, mix well. Add in oil, mix into a dough.

Char Siew Pao/Cha Shao Bao (BBQ Pork Chinese Steamed Bun)

3 Use stand mixer with hook attachment, knead over “speed 2” for 5 minutes, until a smooth dough is formed. (Reminder: Knead for 6-7 minutes if do it manually.)

Char Siew Pao/Cha Shao Bao (BBQ Pork Chinese Steamed Bun)

4 Wrap dough with cling wrap, set aside to rest for 10 minutes.

Char Siew Pao/Cha Shao Bao (BBQ Pork Chinese Steamed Bun)

5 Divide rested dough into 12 portions, shape into balls. (Reminder: Cover with cling wrap to prevent from drying.)

Char Siew Pao/Cha Shao Bao (BBQ Pork Chinese Steamed Bun)

Making Char Siew Pao:

(Reminder: Divide dough into 2 batches, 6 for each batch, prepare 1 batch at a time.)

1 Coat dough with pao flour, roll out into round shape with thick centre and thin sides. Turn the flatten dough over, top with 1 portion of char siew filling, wrap filling with dough, then put onto a piece of paper.

BBQ Pork Chinese Steamed Bun

2 Bring water of steamer to the boil, arrange paos in bamboo steamer racks, cover with bamboo lid, steam over medium heat for 15 minutes. (Reminder: No need to proof the paos again, steam straight away when done.)

BBQ Pork Chinese Steamed Bun
BBQ Pork Chinese Steamed Bun

Char Siew Pao

Char Siew Pao/ Cha Shao Bao (BBQ Pork Chinese Steamed Bun)

The filling of this Char Siew Pao is made with homemade Char Siew. The paos are made using yeast dough method, paos made in this way are less likely to harden when cooled.

Rate

5 from 5 votes
Prep Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Proofing Time 3 hours
Total Time 4 hours 35 minutes
Course pao/pau
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 12 pieces
Calories 165 kcal

Ingredients
  

Ingredients for char siew filling: (Yields: 400 g)

  • 1 ½ tbsps cooking oil
  • 1 pc shallot chopped
  • 1 tbsp plain flour
  • 110 g water
  • 30 g fine sugar
  • 15 g oyster sauce 2 ½ tsps
  • ½ tsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tsp dark soy sauce
  • 250 g homemade char siew cut into small pieces(Please refer: Making Char Siew with Non-Stick Pan)

Ingredients for yeast dough:

  • 140 g pao flour
  • 1 tsp instant yeast
  • 25 g fine sugar
  • 100 g plain water

Ingredients for pao dough:

  • 70 g pao flour
  • 90 g wheat starch
  • ¼ tsp fine salt
  • 25 g fine sugar
  • 35 g plain water
  • 20 g vegetable oil

Instructions
 

For Char Siew Filling:

  • Preheat cooking oil, cook shallot until fragrant. Add in plain flour, cook until fragrant. Combine water, sugar, oyster sauce, light soy sauce and dark soy sauce, add in, cook until thickened. Add in char siew, mix well.
    Char Siew Pao/Cha Shao Bao (BBQ Pork Chinese Steamed Bun)
  • Transfer char siew filling to heat resistant container, set aside until slightly cooled, then cover and keep refrigerated for later use. (Reminder: Chilled filling is easier to handle.)
    Char Siew Pao/Cha Shao Bao (BBQ Pork Chinese Steamed Bun)
  • Divide chilled char siew filling into 12 portions.
    Char Siew Pao/Cha Shao Bao (BBQ Pork Chinese Steamed Bun)

For Pao Dough:

  • Prepare yeast dough: Combine water, instant yeast and sugar, stir until dissolved. Add in pao flour, mix into a dough. Cover the dough. Put a large cup of hot water in cooler bag (or microwave oven/oven), put in yeast dough, zip the bag and proof for 3 hours.
    Char Siew Pao/Cha Shao Bao (BBQ Pork Chinese Steamed Bun)
  • Pao dough: Combine pao flour, wheat starch, salt and sugar, add to yeast dough, mix well. Add in water, mix well. Add in oil, mix into a dough.
    Char Siew Pao/Cha Shao Bao (BBQ Pork Chinese Steamed Bun)
  • Use stand mixer with hook attachment, knead over “speed 2” for 5 minutes, until a smooth dough is formed. (Reminder: Knead for 6-7 minutes if do it manually.)
    Char Siew Pao/Cha Shao Bao (BBQ Pork Chinese Steamed Bun)
  • Wrap dough with cling wrap, set aside to rest for 10 minutes.
    Char Siew Pao/Cha Shao Bao (BBQ Pork Chinese Steamed Bun)
  • Divide rested dough into 12 portions, shape into balls. (Reminder: Cover with cling wrap to prevent from drying.)
    Char Siew Pao/Cha Shao Bao (BBQ Pork Chinese Steamed Bun)

Making Char Siew Pao: (Reminder: Divide dough into 2 batches, 6 for each batch, prepare 1 batch at a time.)

  • Coat dough with pao flour, roll out into round shape with thick centre and thin sides. Turn the flatten dough over, top with 1 portion of char siew filling, wrap filling with dough, then put onto a piece of paper.
    BBQ Pork Chinese Steamed Bun
  • Bring water of steamer to the boil, arrange paos in bamboo steamer racks, cover with bamboo lid, steam over medium heat for 15 minutes. (Reminder: No need to proof the paos again, steam straight away when done.)
    BBQ Pork Chinese Steamed Bun

Video

Notes

This recipe replaces 30% of pao flour with wheat starch to lower the percentage of gluten of the dough, which will yield paos with softer texture. If you prefer paos with chewy texture, you may use only pao flour.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 165kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 4gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 133mgPotassium: 65mgFiber: 1gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 0.003IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 5mgIron: 1mg
Keyword bbq pork Chinese steamed bun, bbq pork pao, cha shao bao, char siew pao
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