Steamed Chicken BunsIf I didn't know it better, I would worry that I'm pregnant seeing the number of sudden cravings I've been having lately (but no, just a joke, Mom, no need to freak out. I know that I'm a sow and have already fulfilled my national duty). The latest was this inexplicable desire for Gai Pau which saw me marinating slices of chicken for 48 hours and working the dough for the buns. All that when I still have 2 floors to vacuum and mop. Hubby was telling me about the need to clean the house with l'eau de Javel etc last night when all I could think of, mind you, was said Gai Pau...
The Filling :
Chicken (cut into bite-sized pieces)
Honey
Sugar
5 spices powder
Light Soy Sauce
Oyster Sauce
Sesame Oil
Dry Sherry
Chicken Stock
Corn Starch
Ginger
Garlic
Chives
Star Anise
Marinate the chicken with ingredients from honey to dry sherry. Leave overnight in the fridge.
The next day, heat up a wok with a little oil and fry ginger, garlic and star anise till fragrant. Add in the chicken and cook till they turn golden brown. In a bowl mix the chicken stock and corn starch and pour into the wok. Add in the chives. Simmer till the stock is reduced. Add salt and pepper and adjust the other seasonings if necessary. Set aside to cool.
Before steamingThe Pau (short-cut non-traditional method) :
400g Strong Plain Wheat Flour
4 Tsp Double-acting Baking powder
120g sugar
1 Tbsp oil
150ml room temperature fresh Milk
Sift the flour and baking powder twice (important if you want a light and fluffy bun). Dump everything else together and knead for at least 5 minutes. I actually find kneading quite addictive so it was even a pleasure. Set aside for 20 minutes.
Roll the dough out lengthwise. Cut into small portions and roll out each portion into a flat disc. Put the filling in the middle and wrap around it. Place the pau on a piece of baking paper (or the bun will stick to the steamer) and then onto the steamer. The paus will expand (almost double in size) during the steaming (usually about 10 minutes over boiling water) so space them out accordingly. Made 25 mid-sized buns.
The bun's not as fine (and certainly not as pretty) as the Tim Sum paus you get in good Tim Sum restaurants, but satisfying enough nonetheless. I do not have HK flour, time nor patience so this had to do to satisfy a sudden craving. Besides, it already tasted better than the paus they were selling in the coffee shop below my parents' flat in Singapore.
I love that you have a shortcut method! Makes it easier
RépondreSupprimerHi
RépondreSupprimerHello. My name is Henny and I am from the Netherlands. I live here with my Polish wife and three children and a hamster. Our marriage is also international but the cultureal differences between Poland and the Netherlands are not that big, I guess. .
I stumbled on your blog by coincidence and I liked to read about your observations as on east meeting West. It's fun to read. And as I like to eat I like to read your recipees. Although to be really honest: I didn't try one yet . .
How do you like living in Italy?
Good luck and take care
greetings
Henny & Gosia
http://gosiad.blogspot.com
I'm sure your bun tastes good babe! :)
RépondreSupprimerJaden, don't I just love shortcut methods too! I've cut it even shorter just now by eliminating the flour to just one. Works just as well.
RépondreSupprimerHenry, thanks for visiting. Lovely kids you have and very lucky too with all the parks they have been brought to visit. Mixed marriages are indeed difficult at times but so very often so enriching and interesting. And let me know if you ever try one of my recipes and good luck to you if you do as I'm rarely precise with my measures LOL.
Su, hi! How's the baby boy and do you know the sex of the second babe? Are you still in Stuttgart? Take care, ok!
Hi . . . ,
RépondreSupprimerThanks for your kind words. and for the compliments on our blog. Yes, when I look at our blog it almost seems as if we are on the go all the time with the kids. But appearances can be deceiving.
As I am lazy in the kitchen and don;t have much time usually with 3 kids around I prefer the fast method to make a good diner. So any tips on dishes that taste heavenly and don't take too much time? ;-)
I couldn't help noticing that you don't mention your children's names in the blog. it that with a reason?
gr,
Henny
Henry, hi again.
RépondreSupprimerCooking is actually quite easy once you get into it and can be pretty fast too. It's a matter of practice. These buns for example, take almost no time to make!
And yes, it's true that I do not mention my children's names (and mine only accidentally comes out thru friends who comment on the blog) as my husband thinks that the Internet may not be a safe place to publish too much personal information. Besides he has an important position in an important company so extra discretion is required. But since I'm a nobody, I blog and I tell the whole world whatever comes to my mind LOL. It's wonderful being a nobody!