Char Siu Bao (lamb Buns)

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr 10 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups char siu lamb, cut into small dice (store bought or recipe below)
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
• 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon sweet chili paste (or garlic chili paste)
• 4 scallions, sliced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/4 cups warm water (105-115 degrees)
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups cake flour
• 1 pinch salt
• olive oil
• 1 lb lean lamb
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon gingerroot, minced
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons sherry wine or 2 tablespoons chinese wine or 2 tablespoons sake
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 1 teaspoon chinese five spice powder (optional)

Recipe

• 1 to make meat:.
• 2 combine marinade. marinate lamb at least 3 hours, or overnight.
• 3 cooking methods:.
• 4 a) place meat on a roasting pan with a rack -- with the pan below filled with water and roast at 350 f until done (turn over half way through) or.
• 5 b) cook in a crock pot with 3 cups of water for 1 hour on high and then 7 hours on low or until it flakes apart (this is the method i have used) or.
• 6 c) you could try grilling or broiling the meat, but it might lack some of the moisture that the other two methods will give you.
• 7 to make filling:.
• 8 sauté ginger in hot peanut oil, stirring constantly, for about 4 minutes. transfer to a bowl and mix with hoisin, chili paste, green onions and meat. let cool.
• 9 to make dough:.
• 10 mix yeast, sugar and warm water; let proof (sit and rise) for about 10 minutes.
• 11 place flours and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, if available. (this can also be done by hand).
• 12 add yeast mixture. knead until homogeneous and dough forms a ball.
• 13 let rise in a cool place to minimize air bubbles, about 15 minutes.
• 14 portion dough into 16 balls, flatten them, and place a small amount of filling into the center of each.
• 15 pinch back to close and form a ball shape.
• 16 place balls on lightly oiled piece of parchment or waxed paper (oiled plastic wrap would probably work too). let proof 15 minutes, or until double in size.
• 17 place in a covered steamer, and cook for 8-10 minutes.
• 18 eat now or cool completely and freeze in ziplock bags (to reheat: steam 10 minutes).
• 19 enjoy the fruits of your labor!