Shengjian Bao

Ingredients

• 300g plain flour
• 100g cake flour
• 1 tsp instant yeast
• 1/2 tsp fine salt, for the dough
• 220ml warm water
• 400g minced pork, about 70 per cent lean
• 3 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 3/4 tsp fine salt, for the filling
• 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 3 tbsp cold water
• 4 tbsp finely chopped spring onion, for the filling
• 250g firmly set unsalted pork stock jelly, made in advance
• 4 tbsp neutral oil, for frying
• 180ml water, for steaming
• 2 tbsp white sesame seeds
• 3 tbsp finely sliced spring onion greens, to finish

Before you cook

• Cut the set pork stock jelly into 5mm dice and keep it in the fridge until the moment you need it.
• Chop four tablespoons of spring onion finely for the filling and slice three more tablespoons of greens for the top.
• Grate a tablespoon of ginger.
• Measure the frying oil and the steaming water into separate jugs so both are ready at the pan.

Steps

1. Whisk the plain flour, cake flour, salt and instant yeast together in a large bowl.
2. Pour in the warm water and stir with chopsticks until no dry flour is left.
3. Knead the dough on the worktop for ten minutes, until it is smooth and springs back slowly when pressed.
4. Cover the bowl and leave the dough somewhere warm for thirty minutes; it should swell but not quite double.
5. Put the minced pork in a bowl with the Shaoxing wine, both soy sauces, sugar, salt, white pepper, ginger and sesame oil.
6. Stir hard in one direction, working in the cold water a spoonful at a time, until the pork is tacky and holds its shape.
7. Fold in the chopped spring onion and the diced stock jelly.
8. Chill the filling for fifteen minutes.
9. Roll the risen dough into a rope and cut it into 24 pieces of about 25g each.
10. Flatten each piece and roll it to a 7cm round, leaving the centre a little thicker than the rim.
11. Spoon a generous tablespoon of filling onto a round and gather the edge into pleats, twisting the top firmly shut.
12. Sit the shaped buns on a lightly floured tray, cover them with a cloth and leave them for fifteen minutes.
13. Pour the oil into a wide heavy frying pan that has a tight-fitting lid and set it over medium heat.
14. Arrange the buns pleat side down in the pan, close together but not touching, and fry them undisturbed for three minutes until the bases are deep gold.
15. Pour the water down the side of the pan and cover it immediately.
16. Lower the heat and steam the buns for ten minutes, until the water has almost gone and the tops look glossy and set.
17. Uncover the pan and scatter over the sesame seeds and spring onion greens.
18. Cook uncovered for a further three minutes to drive off the last of the moisture and crisp the bases.
19. Slide the buns out with a thin spatula and eat them within a few minutes, biting a small hole in the side first to let the soup out.