Crispy BBQ Buns/Siew Bao Recipes

It has been a long time since I had Crispy BBQ Buns or know as Siew Bao. I remember when I was living in Malaysia I will have these at least once or twice a month. I decided to make some last week using Elin’s recipe for the pastries. The pastries turn out to be very crispy and flaky. The only problem I encounter is pleating the buns. It split opens during baking and the juice of the filling oozing out during baking.

Ingredients for oil dough

240 gm flour
120 gm shortening

Ingredients for Water dough

240 gm all purpose flour
60 gm icing sugar
60 shortening
120 ml water

Egg wash

1 egg - beaten
some sesame seeds (optional)

1. Mix all the ingredients of oil dough together and knead till you get a soft dough. Set it aside to rest for 30 minutes.
2. Mix all the ingredients of water dough together and knead till you get a soft dough. Set it aside to rest for 30 minutes.
3. Divide both dough into 20-22 equal pieces. Wrap the oil dough into the water dough and flatten it (pix 1)
4. Roll the dough out into a longish flat piece (refer to pix 2 ). Roll it up like a swiss roll (pix 3)
5. Turn 90deg (pix 4), and roll out again and roll it up like a swiss roll (pix 5 & 6).
6. Press dough with palm and lightly roll out into a circle (pix 7)
7. Place filling in the center (do not put too much filling in), wrap and pleat into a pau shape (pix 8) Place on a greaseproof paper.
8. Brush pie with egg wash, sprinkle with some sesame seeds and bake at 375 degree F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

(Pix 1)

(Pix 2)

(Pix 3)

(Pix 4)

(Pix 5)

(Pix 6)

(Pix 7)

(Pix 8)

Ingredients for Fillings.

400 grm BBQ meat (can be pork or chicken)- cut into small cubes
½ cup of green peas
1 tbsp thick black soy sauce
1 big onion- diced small
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp of sugar - more if you want it sweeter
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup of water

For thickening :

1 tsp cornstarch + 3 tbsp of water

1. Heat about 1 tbsp of oil. Saute onions for 1-2 minutes. Add in BBQ meat and the rest of the filling ingredients. Stir fry for 1 - 2 mins. Add in the thickening and simmer till the gravy has thickened. Dish out and let it cool. Set aside for use later.