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Classic Cantonese Dim Sum: Blooming Char Siu Bao

Name: Classic Cantonese Dim Sum: Blooming Char Siu Bao
Prep time: 8 h 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 8 h 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: cantonese
Ingredients: All purpose flour; water; dry yeast; Baking powder; Lard; sugar; white vinegar; Char Siu Sauce; oyster sauce; dark soy sauce; light soy sauce; Salt; starch; pork belly; Onion; cooking wine

groups4 servingsspeedMediumcountertopsPrep: 495 minsskilletCook: 10 minsscheduleTotal: 505 minsoutdoor_grillSteamed

Allergens:warningGlutenwarningSoy

Allergen labels are AI-generated and may be incomplete or wrong. If you have a food allergy, always verify every ingredient yourself.

Recipe details are AI-generated from the video and may contain errors — for reference only.

skilletInstruction

10 Steps Total

schedulePrepare in advance

circleSponge dough needs to be fermented 8 hours in advance8h
circleChar siu filling needs to be refrigerated for at least 2 hours in advance2h

Waiting Time

00:00:27

Mix 3g dry yeast into 130g water, pour into 170g cake flour and mix into a sticky dough without kneading. Cover and ferment for 8 hours.

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Watch out

Yeast water must be fully dissolved, otherwise uneven fermentation will result in poor sponge structure.

Ingredients:water (130 ml)dry yeast (3 g)All purpose flour (170 g)

Tools:bowl

Preparation

00:00:41

Add 65g water, 0.5g salt, 7g sugar, 3g light soy sauce, 3g dark soy sauce, 10g oyster sauce, and 10g char siu sauce in a bowl, mix well and set aside.

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Watch out

Measure seasonings accurately, otherwise the final taste will be unbalanced.

Ingredients:water (65 ml)Salt (0.5 g)sugar (7 g)light soy sauce (3 g)dark soy sauce (3 g)oyster sauce (10 g)Char Siu Sauce (10 g)

Tools:bowlspoon

Preparation

00:00:57

Add 25g water and 10g starch in a bowl, mix well and set aside.

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Watch out

Stir the starch water again before pouring, otherwise sediment will cause lumps.

Ingredients:water (25 ml)starch (10 g)

Tools:bowl

Active Cooking

00:01:04

Add a little oil to the pan, add 100g diced pork belly and sauté until fragrant. Add 3g cooking wine and light soy sauce, mix well, then add 50g water. Simmer over medium-low heat until the oil renders out, then remove and set aside.

local_fire_departmentMedium-low heat, about 4 to 5 minutes

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Watch out

Sauté the pork until fat renders and surface turns golden, otherwise it will taste greasy.

Ingredients:pork belly (100 g)cooking wine (3 g)light soy saucewater (50 ml)

Tools:spatulawok

Active Cooking

00:01:23

Leave oil in the pan, add 25g chopped onion and sauté. Pour in the prepared sauce, bring to a boil, then turn to low heat. Add the starch water while stirring continuously until slightly thickened. Turn off the heat, add the cooked pork, mix well, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

local_fire_departmentMedium-low to low heat, about 3 minutes

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Watch out

Stir quickly while pouring the starch water, otherwise it will form hard lumps.

Ingredients:Onion (25 g)Char Siu Saucestarchpork belly

Tools:spatulawokbowl

Active Cooking

00:01:57

Mix 170g cake flour, 7g baking powder, 3g dry yeast, and 50g sugar. Add 3g white vinegar to the sponge dough, combine with the flour mixture, and knead into a dough. If too dry, add a tiny bit of water. Transfer to the counter, knead until slightly smooth, then add 15g lard and knead it in completely. Knead for 13 minutes total until smooth and non-sticky.

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Watch out

Add lard only after the dough is slightly smooth, and knead it in thoroughly, otherwise oil and dough will separate.

Ingredients:All purpose flour (170 g)Baking powder (7 g)dry yeast (3 g)sugar (50 g)white vinegar (3 g)Lard (15 g)

Tools:bowl

Active Cooking

00:02:53

Dust the counter with flour, roll the dough into a rectangle, fold it, and roll out again. Repeat 3 times. Finally, roll it up tightly from bottom to top, pinch the seam closed, roll into a long log, and divide evenly into 12 pieces (about 45g each). Cover with plastic wrap to keep moist.

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Watch out

Dust with flour during rolling and folding to prevent sticking, ensuring even layers in the buns.

Ingredients:All purpose flour

Tools:rolling pindough scraperplastic wrap

Active Cooking

00:03:26

Flatten a dough piece and roll it into a round wrapper that is thick in the middle and thin at the edges. Place it on your left thumb web, add appropriate char siu filling, and press down gently. On the counter, pinch the seal into three edges. Press gently in the center with your left thumb, push up to gather the three tips together, pinch the three edges to seal, round the bottom, and place into a lined steamer basket.

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Watch out

Pinch the three edges tightly and keep them free of oil and sauce, otherwise they won't bloom or will leak.

Ingredients:Char Siu Sauce

Tools:steamer basketrolling pin

Waiting Time

00:04:03

Cover and proof at room temperature around 25°C for about 20 minutes. The proofed buns will be slightly larger, with edges starting to crack slightly, and feel light when touched.

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Watch out

Check that the edges crack slightly and feel light, over-proofing prevents proper blooming.

Tools:steamer basket

Active Cooking

00:04:18

warningStay safe

Steam is extremely hot when opening the lid; tilt the lid away from you to avoid steam burns on your face and arms.

Once water boils, place in the steamer (one basket at a time). Steam on maximum heat for 10 minutes. When time is up, turn off the heat and open the lid immediately without resting.

local_fire_departmentHigh heat, 10 minutes

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Watch out

Do not let them rest after turning off heat

open the lid immediately, otherwise condensation will cause collapse

Tools:steamer basketsteamer pot