Bookmark-Worthy Sides

Beartso can't take credits for this one. It's a recipe our friend shared with us. This is Justin's favorite dim sum but so far we've only found it at this one dim sum place in Vancouver so needless to say, we have to learn to make it at home to satisfy Justin's craving!

BUNS

INGREDIENTS for 2 loaves

• 2/3 cup heavy cream (160 ml, at room temperature)

• 1 cup milk (plus 1 tablespoon; total 250 ml, at room temperature)

• 1 large egg (at room temperature)

• 1/3 cup sugar (75 grams)

• 1/2 cup cake flour (tap measuring cup to avoid air pockets; 70 grams)

• 3 1/2 cups bread flour (tap measuring cup to avoid air pockets; about 500 grams)

• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast (11 grams)

• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (7 grams)

• Egg wash (whisk together 1 egg with 1 teaspoon water)

• Simple syrup (optional: 2 teaspoons of sugar, dissolved in 2 teaspoons hot water)

DIRECTIONS

1. In the bowl of a mixer, add ingredients in the following order: heavy cream, milk, egg, sugar, cake flour, bread flour, yeast, and salt. Use the dough hook attachment, and turn on the mixer to “stir.” Let it go for 15 minutes, occasionally stopping the mixer to push the dough together. If you’re in a humid climate and the dough is too sticky, feel free to add a little more flour 1 tablespoon at a time until it comes together. If you don’t have a mixer and would like to knead by hand, extend the kneading time by 5-10 minutes.

2. After 15 minutes of kneading, the dough is ready for proofing. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and place in a warm spot for 1 hour. We proof the dough in our oven (We turned on our oven’s rapid proof setting for 5 minutes, turned the oven off, and then closed the oven door). The dough will grow to 1.5X its original size.

3. In the meantime, grease two baking vessels on all sides with butter, such as 2 standard loaf pans or even a loaf pan and a 9-inch round cake pan.

4. After the hour of proofing, put the dough back in the mixer and stir for another 5 minutes to get rid of air bubbles. Dump the dough on a lightly floured surface, and cut it in half. You can make a loaf with one half of the dough by cutting it into 3 pieces and placing them in the loaf pan. With the other half of the dough, cut it into eight equal pieces and make buns. You can really shape the dough however you like. Once shaped, let the dough proof for another hour.

5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush the risen dough with egg wash. Bake the loaves for 23-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush the buns with sugar water to give them a great shine, sweetness, and color.

FILLINGS

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons oil

• 1/2 cup shallots (or onion, finely chopped)

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce

• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce

• 2 teaspoons sesame oil

• 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce

• ¾ cup chicken stock (180 ml)

• 3 tablespoons flour (23g)

• 2 cups Chinese roast pork (char siu, diced)

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wok over medium high heat. Add the onion and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and dark soy. Stir and cook until it starts to bubble up. Add the chicken stock and flour. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook, stirring, for a couple minutes until thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the roast pork. Set aside to cool.

2. After it has risen, separate the dough into 16 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a small circle, where the center is slightly thicker than the edges. Fill each with meat filling, and crimp them closed, making sure they’re tightly sealed. Lay them out seam side down on baking sheets lined with parchment paper, and let rise for another hour. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees (200 degrees C).

3. Brush with egg wash, sprinkle with sesame seeds (if using). Put them in the oven and immediately turn the oven down from 400 degrees (about 200 degrees C) to 350 degrees (about 175 degrees). Bake for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown.