Char Siu Pork Buns

To make the dough, combine the water and milk in a small bowl. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and baking powder and stir until well combined. Slowly stir in the water mixture, and when it is absorbed, stir in the shortening and vinegar. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 10 minutes, or until the dough is very smooth and elastic. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let rest for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, cut sixteen 2-inch squares from a roll of parchment paper.

 

To make the filling, whisk together the soy sauce, sugar, ketchup, honey, and oyster sauce in a bowl until the sugar is dissolved. Heat the oil in a wok over medium heat. Drop in the green onions and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the pork and soy sauce mixture and stir for 2 minutes. Add the cornstarch slurry and cook for 1 more minute, or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove the wok from the heat and let cool.

Roll the dough into a 12-inch-long cylinder and cut it into 16 equal pieces. Use a mini rolling pin to roll the dough pieces into 3-inch diameter disks. Cover the disks with plastic wrap so they don’t dry out. Place 1 tablespoon of pork filling in the center of a dough disk. Pleat the edges of the dough and pinch the pleats together at the top to seal the filling inside. Repeat with the remaining dough disks and filling.

Pour 2 inches of water into the base pot of a steamer and bring to a boil. Place several of the buns on parchment squares and arrange on the steamer tray at least 2 inches apart to give them room to expand. Place the tray in the steamer, cover, and steam for 12 to 14 minutes, until the buns are all puffed up. Repeat with the remaining buns. Serve warm.

Slice the pork loin lengthwise and then cut the 2 strips in half crosswise to make 4 strips. Score the meat all over with a knife to help the marinade soak in.

In a large bowl, mix together the hoisin sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, honey, sugar, five-spice powder, liquor, and oil until well blended. Toss in the meat and use your hands to massage the marinade into the meat, making sure all the pieces are coated. Cover the bowl and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours (overnight is even better).

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Add a wire rack to a roasting pan and fill the pan with 1/2 inch of water. Place the pork strips on the rack, reserving the remaining marinade. If you don't have a roasting pan and rack insert, place a pan filled with 1/2 inch of water on your oven's lowest rack to catch the roast’s drippings. Then place the pork strips directly on your oven’s center rack.

Roast the pork for 10 minutes. Turn the strips over and baste both sides with the reserved marinade. Lower the heat to 325°F and roast for an additional 20 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through and no longer pink inside.

To make the sauce, boil the liquid in the roasting pan or dripping tray, along with any extra marinade, in a small saucepan until it reduces to about 1 cup. Add the cornstarch slurry and simmer for 1 minute while stirring.

Let the roast rest for 5 minutes, and then slice thinly and serve.

Recipe courtesy of Feeding the Dragon: A Culinary Travelogue Through China with Recipes by Mary Kate Tate and Nate Tate/Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2011.