The air-conditioning whirrs loudly to keep the heaving room cool, yet its efforts are drowned out by a blanket of noisy gossip. Mismatched tableware is cleared and re-set at an impossible speed and a team of no-nonsense waitresses expertly weave their trolleys through the maze of tightly packed tables. They tempt diners with cheeky peeks inside stacks of bamboo steamers, while oven-baked and deep-fried goodies are proudly proffered in full display: golden-brown morsels arranged in sets of three. Tea is poured and teapot lids are left ajar to signal for refills. Food is critiqued, plates are polished off, and the bill fought over – sometimes rather ferociously!
This is the chaotic but much-treasured scene of yum cha, a Cantonese dining tradition with a name that literally means ‘drink tea’. Think of it as the Chinese version of small-plates eating, like Spanish tapas or an English morning tea. In our family, yum cha has always been a treat. Whether we are deciding at the last minute to visit our local on a rainy Sunday (meaning we can’t set up shop ourselves at the market) or meeting our extended family at incredible yum cha restaurants in Guangzhou, there is always an air of excitement about the prospect of partaking in the brilliant food and cleansing tea.
Having dubbed ourselves ‘The Dumpling Sisters’, this chapter is particularly dear to us because it is home to our namesake: a sumptuous selection of gorgeous handmade dumplings. But that’s not all. We have also developed DIY dim sum (literally, ‘to touch the heart’) recipes for plenty of other yum cha favourites too. We hope that you have fun creating these little edible works of art – some will take extra practice to perfect, but they are all 100 per cent worth the effort.
These golden bite-sized morsels are our little brother Justin’s absolute favourite, and also one of the most popular dim sum worldwide. The literal translation of siu mai is ‘cook sell’ – a nod to the practice of these juicy dumplings being rapidly made and sold as tantalising street food. It’s definitely worth the extra effort to mince your own pork loin or shoulder as it makes for a much juicier bite, but pork mince will also work.
Makes 20–24
4 dried Chinese mushrooms
pinch granulated sugar
400g pork loin or shoulder or pork mince
200g raw prawns, peeled and chopped into sweetcorn-sized pieces
20–24 round siu mai wrappers or square wonton wrappers
3cm piece carrot, finely diced
for the marinade
4 tsp finely diced ginger
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground white pepper
¼ tsp granulated sugar
1 tbsp light soy sauce
4 tsp Shaoxing rice wine
4 tsp sesame oil
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp cornflour
to serve (optional)
2 tbsp light soy sauce
chilli oil, to taste
1 Soak the Chinese mushrooms in a bowl of hot water with the sugar for 30 minutes, then drain. Remove and discard the stalks and finely dice the caps.
2 If using pork loin or shoulder, cut it into 1cm cubes, keeping the fat on. Then use a heavy knife or a cleaver to dhuk it, meaning to repeatedly chop through the pork with force until it resembles coarse mince.
3 Put the pork and all the marinade ingredients including 1 tablespoon water into a large bowl, then use a pair of chopsticks to vigorously stir in one direction (e.g. clockwise) until the meat binds to itself. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes. Gently stir the mushrooms and prawns into the marinated pork.
4 If you are using wonton wrappers, use a 9cm cookie cutter to cut these into rounds. To wrap the siu mai, put 1 tablespoon of the filling into the centre of a wrapper. Use the handle of the spoon to pleat the wrapper up and around the filling.
5 Make a ring shape with your index finger and thumb. Pop the pleated dumpling into this circular cradle, then use the back of the spoon to press the filling firmly downwards so that it fills up all the nooks and crannies in the folds. This will help the dumpling keep its shape as it steams. Gently squeeze the dumpling as if you are cinching it in at the waist. Finally, nudge the base of the dumpling to create a flat, stable base.
6 Pop a few pieces of carrot on top of each dumpling then steam in in a bamboo steamer (or steamer), in batches, over vigorously boiling water for 7–8 minutes per batch.
7 Stir the soy sauce and chilli oil together in a small bowl. Serve the siu mai as soon as they have finished steaming, dipping them into the soy sauce mixture if you wish.
Along with Steamed Pork Buns and Pork and Prawn Open Dumplings, these complete the ‘Guangdong big three’ – the famous dim sum trio. The delight in making your own har gau is that you get to see the metamorphosis of the opaque white wrapper into a beautiful translucent skin that encapsulates vibrant pink prawns in the shape of a gau, or claw. Keep in mind that har gau are their tastiest without a dipping sauce, letting the delicate flavour of the prawn really shine.
Makes 24
for the filling
300g raw king prawns, peeled and roughly chopped
2 tsp finely diced ginger
4 tbsp finely diced canned bamboo shoots
½ tsp salt
2 pinches granulated sugar
2 pinches ground white pepper
1½ tsp cornflour
2 tsp sesame oil
for the wrappers
120g wheat starch
50g tapioca flour
2 pinches salt
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 Combine all the filling ingredients in a bowl, then cover and chill for at least 30 minutes.
2 Stir the wrapper ingredients in a bowl. Add 200ml boiling water and use a pair of chopsticks to stir vigorously in one direction (e.g. clockwise). Use your hands to lightly knead and fold the dough until there are no lumps. Cover and leave the dough to rest for 5 minutes.
3 Roll the dough into a sausage and cut it into 24 pieces. Work with one piece of dough at a time, keeping the rest of the dough covered to prevent it drying out. Shape a piece of dough into a ball, then use a rolling pin to roll it out into a round wrapper about 8cm in diameter with a slightly thicker centre and thinner edges.
4 Pop a heaped teaspoon of the prawn filling in the middle, then fold the wrapper over into a semicircle. Cradle the wrapper in one hand, and use the other hand to create pleats along the edge furthest away from you, pinching the two edges firmly together after each fold to create a crescent shape. Aim for 7–8 pleats and start off with an extra wide pleat – this will help the dumpling to curve into a crescent shape. (For more dumpling pleating guidelines, see here.)
5 In a bamboo steamer (or steamer), steam the har gau in batches over vigorously boiling water for 7 minutes and serve immediately.
We think congee is magical because each grain of rice, suspended in an opaque pool of liquid, is like a velvety cloud that melts on the tongue. While fantastic as an unadorned base, plain congee can be jazzed up with toppings from the very traditional (century eggs) to the stuff of our childhoods (crushed chicken crisps). Just avoid soy sauce as this will make the congee taste sour and go watery. You’ll need to soak the rice the night before for guaranteed fluffy grains.
Serves 4
100g jasmine rice
200g pork bones or 150g lean pork in one piece
½ tbsp vegetable oil
½ tsp salt
optional toppings
ground white pepper
sesame oil
toasted sesame seeds
sliced spring onions
boiled eggs, diced
century eggs, quartered into wedges
Chinese fried breadsticks
 | add an exotic (see here) |
| 1 piece of kong yu chu (dried scallops) | |
| ja choi (preserved mustard stems), as a topping |
1 Put the rice into a large bowl with plenty of cold water. Wash the rice by swishing it with one hand, then drain away the cloudy water. It may help to cup one hand under the stream of water to catch any escapees as you do this. Repeat until the water runs clear. Cover the rice with cold water and leave to soak overnight.
2 The next day, put the pork bones into a large saucepan, pour in enough boiling water to cover and leave for 2 minutes. Drain and discard the water.
3 Drain the soaked rice and add to the saucepan, together with the oil, salt and 1.5 litres water. If using, tear the kong yu chu into small shreds and add to the saucepan. Bring to the boil then cover, reduce the heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally for 45 minutes, or until each grain of rice has burst open.
4 Gently stir 200ml boiling water into the pan to loosen the texture of the rice so that each grain is suspended in its own pool of congee. Serve with your toppings of choice, including ja choi if using, scattered over the top.
These golden batons hardly need an introduction. Gone are the days when spring rolls were largely eaten during the Spring Festival (aka Chinese New Year and hence the name ‘spring’ roll), for these little beauties are now adored all over the world – a ubiquitous finger food served at weddings, corporate functions and children’s parties alike. Follow our frying tips below for super-crispy spring rolls.
Makes 8–10
8–10 sheets thin spring roll pastry
vegetable oil, for deep-frying
sweet chilli or Worcestershire sauce, to serve
for the filling
2 dried Chinese mushrooms
½ tsp granulated sugar, plus extra for soaking
150g pork mince
½ tsp salt
pinch ground white pepper
1 tsp very finely diced ginger
1 clove garlic, finely diced
1 tsp five-spice powder
2 carrots (100g), halved and thinly julienned
100g white cabbage, shredded
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp oyster sauce
¼ tsp sesame oil
| add an exotic (see here) |
| 2g mook yee (cloud ear) |
1 Soak the Chinese mushrooms for the filling in a bowl of hot water with a pinch of sugar for 30 minutes, then drain. Remove and discard the stalks and finely julienne the caps. If you are adding an exotic: soak the mook yee in hot water for the same length of time, then drain and finely julienne.
2 In a bowl, mix the pork mince, salt, sugar, pepper, ginger, garlic, ¾ teaspoon five-spice powder and 1 tablespoon water together, then cover and chill for 20 minutes.
3 Put the carrots and 2 tablespoons water into a saucepan and place over a medium heat. Cover and cook for a few minutes until the water has evaporated, then add the cabbage, mushrooms, mook yee (if using) and 100ml cold water. Reduce the heat to low and cook, uncovered, until the water has evaporated and the vegetables are tender. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
4 Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the pork and fry for a few minutes until browned. Reduce the heat to low, stir in the cooked vegetables, oyster sauce, sesame oil and remaining ¼ teaspoon five-spice powder and cook for 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl and leave to cool.
5 To make the spring rolls, wet a piece of kitchen paper and keep it nearby. Put one pastry sheet on a work surface with one of the corners pointing towards you. Put 2 tablespoons of the filling just below the centre, shape it into a sausage about 15cm long, then line up the top edge of the sausage with the side corners of the pastry. Fold the bottom corner of the pastry over the filling and tuck it underneath the sausage, then make one full roll upwards. Wet the side flaps with the damp kitchen paper and fold them in towards the centre so that the newly folded edges are perpendicular to the bottom edge. It should now resemble an envelope. Wet the sides and triangular flap of the envelope (edges only) then roll the sausage upwards until completely sealed. Repeat.
6 Fill a large saucepan or a wok two-thirds with vegetable oil and place over a medium-high heat. For deep-fryers, set the temperature to 180°C/350°F. To test that the oil is ready, drop in a small piece of pastry; it should fizzle. Deep-fry the spring rolls for 1½–2 minutes, turning occasionally, until they are golden brown. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. Serve with sweet chilli or Worcestershire sauce.
Guotie, the traditional Chinese phrase for pan-fried dumplings, literally translates to ‘pot stick’, hence the popular name for these dumplings. The combination of a lush, juicy pork filling and crispy golden bottoms is so divine that stopping at one is impossible.
Makes 32
300g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
pinch salt
1 tbsp vegetable oil
for the filling
300g pork shoulder or pork mince
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp cornflour
1½ tsp salt
1 tsp granulated sugar
pinch ground white pepper
1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp sesame oil
200g pak choi, finely chopped
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
2 tsp finely diced ginger
1 clove garlic, finely diced
for the dipping sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp chilli oil
1 Using a pair of chopsticks or a fork, mix the flour, salt and 200ml boiling water together in a large bowl until you have a rough ball. Be careful, as the dough will be scorching hot. Remove it from the bowl and knead for 10 minutes, or until smooth.
2 Divide the dough into two even pieces, then use your thumbs to make a hole in the middle of each piece before stretching them out into bagel shapes with even thickness all the way round. Cover the ‘bagels’ with cling film and leave to rest for 20 minutes.
3 If you are using pork shoulder, cut roughly into 1cm cubes. Then use a heavy knife or a cleaver to dhuk (repeatedly chop) through the pork until it resembles coarse mince. Put the pork into a large bowl. Add the bicarbonate of soda, cornflour, seasonings, rice wine, soy sauces, sesame oil and 3 tablespoons water, then use a pair of chopsticks to vigorously stir in one direction (e.g. clockwise) until all the liquid is absorbed and the pork begins to bind to itself. Mix in the pak choi, spring onions, ginger and garlic.
4 Lightly flour your work surface. Cut one of the rested ‘bagels’ in half so you have two sausages the same size, then roll the sausages quickly, so they are evenly thick along their entire length. Line the two sausages together lengthways and cut them in half in the middle to create four mini sausages. Now line the four sausages lengthways to form a roughly square shape and cut through them three times to form 16 small pieces of dough. Repeat with the other ‘bagel’.
5 Lightly toss the dough pieces in flour, then put a piece on the work surface, cut-side down, and flatten it. Roll the dough into a thin disc, about 9cm in diameter, then repeat with the remaining pieces. Keep the dough covered to prevent it drying out. If you are short on time, you could roll the dough to about 2mm thick and use a 9cm round cookie cutter.
6 To wrap the dumplings, put a heaped teaspoon of the filling into the centre of each wrapper. Fold over into a half-moon shape. Cradle the wrapper in one hand and use the other hand to create pleats along the edge furthest away from you, pinching the two edges together after each pleat as you go, to create a crescent shape. Avoid getting any filling on the edges and be sure to pinch firmly as you pleat to create a good seal.
7 Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the dumplings, in two batches, flat-side down for about 2 minutes until a golden crust forms on the bottom. Add 100ml cold water and immediately cover with a lid (or a heavy plate). Let the steam cook the dumplings for 8 minutes, or until all the water has evaporated, then uncover and cook the dumplings for a further minute, or until they lift off easily from the base of the pan. Repeat with the second batch.
8 Meanwhile, mix all the dipping sauce ingredients together in a bowl. Tumble the dumplings onto a plate, making sure to show off their golden bottoms, and serve with the dipping sauce.
Just like a sigh-worthy baked potato, pan-fried lo bak guo (turnip cake) is soft and moreishly savoury on the inside with a perfectly thin and crispy skin on the outside. Although this dim sum is typically called ‘turnip cake’ on menus, it is actually made from a super-flavoursome snowy white batter of grated Chinese white radish and soaked rice flour.
Serves 4
125g rice flour
3 dried Chinese mushrooms
1 tbsp granulated sugar, plus extra for soaking
1½ tbsp vegetable oil, plus extra for oiling and frying
500g Chinese white radish or mooli
½ tbsp salt
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
¾ tsp ground white pepper
½ tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
hot chilli sauce, to serve
| add an exotic (see here) |
| 1 tbsp har mey (dried shrimp) | |
| 1 larp cheong (Chinese sausage), diced |
1 Put the rice flour into a large bowl, pour over 150ml cold water to cover the flour completely, then cover and soak overnight.
2 The next day, soak the Chinese mushrooms in a bowl of hot water with a pinch of sugar for 30 minutes, then drain. Remove and discard the stalks then finely chop the caps. If you are adding an exotic, soak the har mey in a bowl of hot water for at least 20 minutes, then drain.
3 Lightly oil a 20cm loaf tin and set aside. Peel and grate the radish before putting it into a pan. If you have a really juicy radish, catch the juice and add it to the pan. Stir in the sugar, salt and garlic, then put the pan over a medium-low heat, cover and cook gently for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the radish is soft enough to cut through easily with a plastic spatula. Drain the excess cooking juices into a measuring jug and set aside. Stir the white pepper, 1½ tablespoons oil and the rice wine into the cooked radish.
4 Using a pair of chopsticks, gently stir the soaked rice flour until it is a smooth slurry then gradually stir it into the radish. Add the mushrooms, har mey and larp cheong, if using.
5 You will need 100–150ml liquid of the reserved radish juices, so top up with cold water if necessary. Begin stirring this liquid into the radish mixture, testing the consistency as you do so by dipping a chopstick into the mixture then letting a drop fall onto the back of your hand: the drop should look like cloudy water but it should retain its shape on your hand rather than spread out.
6 Pour the radish batter into the prepared loaf tin. Cover and steam over vigorously boiling water for 25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Leave the lo bak guo to cool completely before turning it out of the tin. Slice the loaf into 1cm-thick pieces.
7 Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a frying pan over a high heat. Add the slices and fry until both sides are golden brown and crisp. Serve with the spiciest chilli sauce you can get your hands on.
DUMPLING SISTERS TIP
When choosing Chinese radishes, scratch them on the surface with your fingernail: you should only be able to scrape off a single layer of ‘skin’ before you reach the inside of the radish. Avoid radishes that flake off in multiple layers. The radish should also feel heavy for its size, indicating juiciness.
The mystery of these soup dumplings or xiao long bao is akin to that of the ship in a bottle: just how is the flavoursome broth captured within? ‘XLB’ devotees know that these are best eaten by first nipping at the foot of the wrapper with your front teeth and gently drinking the warming soup, before biting into the pork filling. So how is it done? Picture glistening gems of delicate jellied stock that are gently mixed into a pork filling. The stock melts during steaming. Mystery solved. Start preparing your xiao long bao either the night before or well in advance on the day to make sure your jellied stock sets.
Makes about 20
for the filling
1½ tsp gelatine powder
190ml pork stock
180g pork mince
½ tbsp very finely diced ginger
1 clove garlic, very finely diced
1 spring onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp light soy sauce
1 tsp granulated sugar
2 pinches ground white pepper
1 tsp vegetable oil
¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tbsp cornflour
salt
for the dough
210g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
2 pinches salt
2 tsp vegetable oil, plus extra for oiling
1 In a small bowl, soak the gelatine powder in 100ml cold water for 10 minutes.
2 Heat the stock over a medium-low heat. If needed, season to taste. When the stock is hot but not boiling, gradually stir in the gelatine. Leave the mixture to cool completely, then transfer it to a bowl and chill for at least 3 hours.
3 After the stock has been setting in the fridge for at least 2 hours you can make the rest of the filling. Put the pork, ¼ teaspoon salt, 3 tablespoons water and the remaining filling ingredients into a large bowl, then use a pair of chopsticks to vigorously stir in one direction (e.g. clockwise) until the filling is combined. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes.
4 Make the dough. Mix the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Make a well, add 6 tablespoons boiling water, then use a pair of chopsticks to stir vigorously along the edge of the bowl in one direction until the mixture resembles rough crumbs. Add 2 tablespoons cold water and the oil and stir vigorously until you have a ball of dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead for 8–10 minutes, then throw the dough onto the work surface with force. Throw the dough 10 times, then knead it for a further minute. Wrap in cling film and leave to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
5 When the stock has set and the pork has marinated, turn the jellied stock out onto a board. Roughly chop into cubes and add them to the pork mixture. Stir gently until combined, breaking up the stock slightly as you do so. Cover and freeze for 30–40 minutes until icy.
6 To wrap the xiao long bao, roll the dough into a sausage and divide it into teeny 8g portions. Work with just a few pieces of dough at a time, leaving the rest of the dough covered. Lightly flour your hands and the work surface. Shape a piece of dough into a ball, then roll it out into a 8cm circle. It should be fairly thin and the outer edge should be slightly thinner than the centre.
7 Cup the wrapper in the fingers of one hand and put a heaped teaspoon of the semi-frozen filling in the centre. Use your index finger and the thumb of your other hand to make pleats all the way around the edge of the wrapper, pressing firmly after each pleat to create a firm seal. When you reach the last pleat, twist the wrapper slightly to close the gap and pinch firmly together to seal.
8 Steam the dumplings in batches. Lightly oil a steam-proof plate or line a bamboo steamer with non-stick paper. Arrange the dumplings onto the plate (or steamer), making sure to leave a bit of space between each one. Steam over vigorously boiling water for 6 minutes. Leave to rest for 1 minute before serving.
Char siu bao are very special to our family because we have been selling them at the market for over 10 years. While the recipe is continually being tweaked to get the fluffiest buns, some magic ingredients remain a constant: a special low-protein flour that gives a tender crumb and ammonium bicarbonate for superior raising power. Make the extra effort to find these ingredients at the Chinese supermarket or online and you will be rewarded with cottony soft buns to sink your teeth into. It’s a good idea to make the filling and dough starter the day before you want to eat these glorious buns.
Makes 14
for the filling
200ml hoisin sauce
½ tsp dark soy sauce (optional)
1 tsp honey (optional)
1 tbsp cornflour
1 tbsp plain flour
180g Char Siu Pork (here), cut into 5mm cubes
for the dough starter
½ tsp active dried yeast
320g low-protein flour
1 tbsp granulated sugar
for the dough
¼ tsp ammonium bicarbonate
180g low-protein flour
17g baking powder
100g granulated sugar
15g lard
1 Make the filling. Combine 90ml water, any leftover marinade and scrapings from the baking tray after cooking the Char Siu Pork and enough hoisin sauce to bring the volume to a total of 200ml. If you are only using hoisin sauce, add the dark soy sauce and honey as well. Whisk in the flours until no lumps are visible, then pour the mixture into a small saucepan and stir over a medium heat until the sauce is dark, thick and glossy. Leave to cool, then mix in the pork.
2 For the starter, combine 60ml boiling and 120ml cold waters in a medium bowl and whisk in the yeast. Leave to activate for 10–15 minutes until frothy. In a large bowl, combine the flour and sugar, then stir in the yeast mixture to form a rough dough. Scrape onto a work surface and knead for a few minutes until smooth. Return to the bowl, cover with cling film and leave to rest in a warm place overnight for 8–10 hours or until it has almost tripled in size. It will be incredibly frothy.
3 The next day, make the dough. Dissolve the ammonium bicarbonate in 40ml water in a small bowl. Pour into the starter and use one hand to squelch the liquid into the dough until evenly combined. Add the flour, baking powder and sugar and stir to roughly combine. Turn out onto a work surface and knead for 5 minutes until the dough comes together. Don’t worry if it feels slightly dry. Flatten the dough out slightly and spread on the lard. Envelope the lard in the dough by folding it in on itself and knead for 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and all the sugar crystals have melted. Shape the dough into a rough ball, cover and leave to rest in a warm place for 20 minutes.
4 Divide the dough into 14 pieces (about 60g each). Cover with cling film or a tea towel to stop them drying out. Shape each piece of dough into a rough ball, then flatten into a thick disc and roll out into a 9cm round. Aim to make the centre slightly thicker than the edges so it can support the filling better. Cover each wrapper as you finish the rest.
5 To wrap the buns, put a heaped tablespoon of filling into the centre of a wrapper and firmly pinch seven or eight pleats into it until the bun is completely sealed. As you finish each bun, put it on a square of non-stick paper and put it inside the steamer, leaving at least 3cm between each bun, until the steamer is filled. Repeat with the other wrappers and remaining filling, then leave the buns to rest for 10 minutes before steaming.
6 Steam the buns over vigorously boiling water for 8 minutes: resist the urge to peek because the first few minutes are crucial for getting the buns to burst open. Serve immediately or keep the steamer lid on until ready to eat. The buns keep in the freezer for 4 weeks if they have been steamed first. Re-steam from frozen for 15 minutes.
DUMPLING SISTERS TIPS
Make it more refined
For even fluffier buns with a more delicate crumb, use two starters instead of the one. Make starter one by activating 2g active dried yeast in 25ml boiling water and 50ml cold water, and mixing into 125g low-protein flour. Knead as in the method above and leave to rest for 4 hours. Starter two is made from starter one: take 100g starter one and add 500g low-protein flour, 280ml cold water and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar. Knead and then allow to rest for 8–10 hours. Simply use 500g of starter two in the final dough, and the rest of the recipe remains the same.
Make it with plain flour
Replace the low-protein flour with 220g plain flour and 100g cornflour in starter one and 120g plain flour and 60g cornflour in starter two. When making the final dough, increase the water to 50ml.
Make it faster
Replace the active dried yeast in the starter with fast-action yeast, reduce the starter resting time to 1 hour and use 10g baking powder in the final dough.
Charn bao shares the same filling as the Steamed Pork Buns (here) but it hits a different sweet spot with its heavenly soft, springy bread. To make the butter-enriched dough as light as a cloud we use the tang zhong or water-roux method. This means adding a cooked mixture of flour and water that locks moisture into the bread dough. Try it, and we promise you will be hooked.
Makes 12
for the water-roux
25g strong bread flour
125ml water or full-fat milk
for the dough
350g strong bread flour, plus extra for dusting
80g granulated sugar
½ tsp salt
7g (1 sachet) fast-action dried yeast
10g skimmed milk powder (optional)
100g water-roux (see here)
110ml full-fat milk
1 large egg (about 56g), beaten
30g unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
to fill and finish
1 batch Char Siu Pork filling (here)
runny honey, for glazing
toasted sesame seeds, for sprinkling
1 Make the water-roux by whisking the flour and water or milk together in a small saucepan. Place over a low heat and whisk for 3–8 minutes until the tines of a fork leave tracks for at least 10 seconds when dragged along the surface. Transfer to a bowl, lay cling film so that it is touching the surface of the roux and leave to cool.
2 For the dough, stir the flour, sugar, salt and yeast together in a large bowl. Sift in the milk powder, if using. Weigh out 100g water-roux in another bowl and whisk in the milk and beaten egg. Stir this wet mix into the dry ingredients until roughly combined and then turn out onto a lightly floured work surface. This is a very tacky dough so begin by developing the gluten. Gather the dough in your hands and lift it above your head, then slap the dough back on the surface. Do 20–30 slaps in succession, then knead by repeatedly stretching the dough away from you and folding it back. Alternate between slapping and kneading for 10 minutes until the dough is very smooth. If the dough is too tacky, add a light sprinkling of flour – no more than a tablespoon in total.
3 Stretch the dough out to a 2cm thickness and spread on the butter. Take each corner of the dough and fold it into the centre until the butter is enclosed. Use firm pressure from the heel of your hand to coax the butter into the dough. Alternate kneading and slapping for 20–25 minutes until it is voluminous and silken, and passes the windowpane test: rip off a ping-pong ball-sized piece of dough and stretch it out into a square. If you can stretch it thin enough that light shines through without it tearing, move on to the next step. Put the dough back in the bowl, cover and leave to rest in a warm place for 1–1½ hours until doubled in size.
4 Line a baking sheet with non-stick paper. Quickly knead the dough then divide into 12 pieces of about 60g each. Roll each piece into a 9cm circle and put 1 tablespoon of the filling in the centre. Gather up the edges and pinch together to seal. With the gathered side face down, shape the buns into domes and place them onto the baking sheet, leaving a 4cm gap between each bun. Cover loosely with cling film then a tea towel and leave to rest in a warm place for 1–1½ hours or until doubled in size.
5 Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4. Bake the buns for 8–10 minutes until golden. Brush with honey and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Best eaten warm.
Whenever we go to yum cha as a family we always order at least two bamboo steamers full of jing pai gwut – bite-sized pieces of juicy pork ribs seasoned with fermented black beans. If you are a chopstick novice you will have a lot of fun trying to pick them up because of the glossy sauce that coats each rib. But once you get the little nugget into your mouth you will experience the mark of an excellent jing pai gwut: meat that pops off the bone with just the slightest encouragement.
Serves 2
250g rack of pork ribs
2 tsp cornflour
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp granulated sugar
¼ tsp light soy sauce
1 tsp vegetable oil
1½ cloves garlic, roughly diced
½ tsp finely diced ginger
½ tbsp fermented black beans, rinsed and drained
1 Slice between each bone to divide the rack into individual ribs. Place a rib on its side on the chopping board and use a cleaver to carefully divide it into bite-sized pieces. This is best done by using the corner of the blade nearest to the handle to strike the rib bone, as this generates the greatest force. If you are not confident about keeping your fingers while doing this, ask your butcher to do it for you.
2 Put the ribs into a large bowl, cover with water and coax the blood out of the bones and meat by carefully massaging them with your hands. Refresh the water as needed until it is almost clear. Drain the ribs in a colander.
3 Tip the ribs back into the bowl and add the cornflour, salt, sugar, light soy sauce and oil. Use one hand to massage all the seasonings into the ribs and to evenly distribute them. Now massage in the garlic, ginger and fermented black beans.
4 Arrange the ribs on a steam-proof plate (or steamer) in a single layer and steam for 8 minutes until there is no pinkness left around the bones.
These magical little parcels are lovingly wrapped and steamed in rehydrated lotus leaves, which subtly perfumes the sticky rice with a slightly floral fragrance. A filling of plump Chinese mushrooms, saucy chicken and savoury pork make these a delectable meal-in-one … but in our experience, one is never enough.
Makes 8
4 dried Chinese mushrooms
pinch granulated sugar
2 dried lotus leaves
soy sauce, to serve (optional)
for the rice
320g glutinous rice
1 tsp vegetable oil, plus extra for greasing
pinch salt
for the pork filling
150g pork mince
½ clove garlic, finely diced
¼ tsp light soy sauce
pinch salt
⅛ tsp ground white pepper
½ tsp cornflour
½ tbsp vegetable oil
½ tsp finely diced ginger
120g bamboo shoots, diced
½ tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
2 tbsp hoisin sauce
¼ tsp dark soy sauce
¼ tsp sesame oil
for the chicken
150g skinless chicken thighs or drumsticks, sliced into 16 pieces
3 slices ginger, cut into matchsticks
¼ tsp cornflour
¼ tsp granulated sugar
¼ tsp light soy sauce
¼ tsp sesame oil
| add an exotic (see here) |
| 1 larp cheong (Chinese sausage), sliced |
1 Wash the glutinous rice in several changes of water until the water runs clear, then soak in a large bowl of cold water overnight.
2 The next day, lightly oil a dish (a round cake tin works well). Drain the rice and put into the dish then mix in the oil and salt. Steam in a large covered saucepan of hot water set over a medium heat for 40 minutes, or until the grains are translucent and tender to the bite.
3 Meanwhile, soak the Chinese mushrooms in a bowl of hot water with the sugar for 30 minutes. Remove and discard the mushroom stalks and slice the caps in half.
4 Prepare the filling by combining the pork, garlic, light soy sauce, salt, white pepper and cornflour in a bowl. Cover and leave to marinate for 20 minutes.
5 Rinse the lotus leaves under cold running water. Use a pair of scissors to cut each leaf into quarters, then trim off an equilateral triangle from the pointed end of each quarter. Put the leaves and trimmings in a large tray and soak in lukewarm water for 15 minutes. (You might need to use a plate to weigh the leaves down to keep them submerged in the water.)
6 Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the ginger until fragrant. Add the marinated pork and fry for a few minutes until browned, then add the bamboo shoots and rice wine and stir until the alcohol cooks off. Turn off the heat and stir in the hoisin and dark soy sauces and the sesame oil, then transfer to a bowl and leave to cool to room temperature.
7 In a bowl, combine the chicken, ginger, cornflour, sugar, light soy sauce, sesame oil and ½ teaspoon water.
8 To assemble each parcel, place a lotus leaf with the greener side facing down onto the work surface and the trimmed edge closest to you so it looks like a fan from your angle. Put one of the trimmed triangles in the centre to reinforce the base of your parcel. Wet your hands (to prevent sticking) and put 2 tablespoons of rice on top of the triangle. Use your fingertips to ease the rice out into a rough 6 x 8cm rectangle. Spoon ½ tablespoon of the pork filling onto the rice base and spread it out to within 1cm of the edge. Arrange two of the chicken pieces on top, tuck a halved mushroom in between, followed by a slice of larp cheong, if using. Re-wet your hands and flatten another 2 tablespoons of rice in the palm of your hand, and place over the rice base like a loose lid.
9 To wrap each parcel, fold the bottom trimmed edge over the rice, followed by both side wings towards the centre, and then roll the whole thing up and away from you so the rice is completely encased. Set aside and repeat.
10 Steam the parcels, in batches if needed, over vigorously boiling water for 15 minutes. Unravel the parcels just before eating and drizzle over soy sauce, if wished.
DUMPLING SISTERS TIP
Double the recipe and freeze leftover parcels once they have cooled down from steaming. To reheat, steam from frozen or even easier, give the parcel a blitz in the microwave until the lotus leaf can be peeled off and then cover with cling film and microwave until heated through.
We have always marvelled at these wu gok: a feathery light and golden lattice surrounding the faa (‘melt in the mouth’) and fluffy pastry made from taro and split peas, enveloping a saucy pork filling. We believed that wu gok was a dish reserved for talented dim sum chefs and not mere mortals like us! It was Dad who developed this wonderful recipe for homemade wu gok that we just had to include in the book. These little beauties are actually quite simple to make, although they do require patience and careful measurements.
Makes 8–10
vegetable oil, for deep-frying
for the pastry
50g dried yellow split peas, rinsed then soaked overnight in cold water
150g taro, fresh or defrosted, cut into 2cm cubes
60g wheat starch
75g lard, softened
for the filling
2 dried Chinese mushrooms, soaked in cold water overnight
150g pork mince
2 tsp very finely diced ginger
½ spring onion, sliced
¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
pinch salt
2 pinches ground white pepper
¼ tsp granulated sugar
¼ tsp sesame oil
35g raw prawns, peeled and diced
for the pastry seasoning
2 pinches salt
½ tbsp granulated sugar
2 pinches five-spice powder
¼ tsp ground white pepper
2.5g ammonium bicarbonate (see here)
for the sauce
¾ tbsp cornflour
½ tsp light soy sauce
½ tsp dark soy sauce
1 Drain the split peas then put them into a steam-proof dish together with the taro and 2 tablespoons cold water. Steam over vigorously boiling water for 40 minutes.
2 Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Drain the mushrooms, remove and discard the stalks and dice the caps. Combine the mushrooms and all the remaining filling ingredients, except the prawns, in a bowl. Cover and chill for 20 minutes.
3 In a small bowl, mix together the pastry seasoning ingredients. Set aside.
4 Roughly mash the split peas and taro with a fork until soft and fluffy. Turn out onto a work surface and flatten slightly. Sprinkle over the pastry seasoning ingredients. Use a dough scraper or a knife with a wide blade to scrape in underneath the mixture at a 45° angle, then lift up and fold the mixture over on top of itself. Use the heel of your other hand to gently press downwards and forwards, as if you are smearing it across the work surface. Repeat until the seasonings are distributed throughout the dough – it should take a good 7–8 folds. Set aside.
5 Put the wheat starch into a bowl. Pour in 35ml boiling water, then use a pair of chopsticks to vigorously stir in one direction (e.g. clockwise) until the mixture resembles large breadcrumbs. Turn the mixture out onto the work surface and knead quickly until a slightly crumbly dough forms.
6 Flatten the seasoned taro dough to a 2cm thickness and the wheat starch dough to a 1cm thickness, then put the wheat starch dough on top of the taro dough. Use the folding method described in step 4 to combine the doughs. Keep folding until the doughs are just combined. It will be sticky to the touch. Flatten the dough to a 2cm thickness, then put the lard on top. Work quickly to fold the lard into the dough using the same method until a soft dough forms. Wrap in cling film and chill for 2 hours.
7 Meanwhile, cook the filling. Heat 2 teaspoons vegetable oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Add the pork mixture and fry for a few minutes, or until cooked through, then add the prawns and cook for a further 2 minutes until pink. Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool for a few minutes.
8 In a bowl, mix all the sauce ingredients with 50ml water then stir into the cooked filling. Return the frying pan to a medium heat and stir until the sauce is thick enough to bind the filling together. Set aside to cool.
9 Fill a large saucepan two-thirds with vegetable oil and put it over a medium-high heat. If you are using a deep-fryer, set the temperature to 200°C/400°F. Working as quickly as possible, wrap and fry two puffs at a time. Roll the pastry into a sausage and cut it into 30g pieces. Form one piece into a ball, then press down to create a 7–8cm disc. Put 1 heaped teaspoon of filling into the centre of the disc, then fold the disc in half, pinching the edges to seal.
10 To test that the oil is ready for deep-frying, drop in a small piece of dough. It should fizz furiously, but not brown for at least 5 seconds. Carefully lower the wu gok into the oil and deep-fry for 30 seconds. Use a slotted spoon to roll the dumplings, then deep-fry undisturbed for 3–4 minutes until you can see the latticed surface. Remove and leave to drain on a wire rack with a baking tray set underneath. For a classic Cantonese presentation, sit each puff within a cupcake case.
Cong you bang are a rich and flaky flatbread, often found at yum cha and street markets. They are absolutely divine on their own, dunked in Silken Congee (here), or even used as a wrap for stir-fried dishes, such as Fragrant Cumin and Coriander Beef (here). The best thing about these is that they put the humble spring onion in the limelight: when fried within the multiple folds of a salty dough, the finely sliced spring onions impart a fragrant and super-satisfying savoury flavour.
Makes 8
vegetable oil, for frying
for the dough
460g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp vegetable oil
for the filling
4 tbsp vegetable oil
6 spring onions, very thinly sliced
salt
1 For the dough, combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the oil along with 260ml warm water until a ball of dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead for 5–10 minutes until it is smooth. If the dough is very sticky, add a little flour as you are kneading, but keep in mind that it should be a little bit sticky. Cover and leave to rest for 20 minutes.
2 Shape the dough into a sausage and cut it into 8 even-sized pieces. Work with one piece of dough at a time, keeping the rest covered. Roll the dough out into a rough square about 1mm thick. Drizzle on ½ tablespoon vegetable oil and use your fingers to spread it out across the surface as evenly as possible. Sprinkle 3 pinches salt and 1½ tablespoons of the spring onions evenly on top.
3 To form the pancake, take the edge closest to you and roll the dough as if you are rolling up a thin Swiss roll, then hold one end and roll it up again to form a snail shell spiral. Tuck the end underneath the spiral. Repeat with the remaining dough, cover and leave to rest for at least 10 minutes.
4 For each pancake, heat ½ teaspoon oil in a large frying pan over a low heat. Roll each pancake out into a circle. If you prefer a crispy pancake, roll it out to a 0.5cm thickness, and for a slightly chewier texture, roll the pancake out to a 1cm thickness. Fry for about 4–5 minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy, being sure to let all the layers cook through. Remove from the pan and fry the remaining pancakes.
