A Taste Of the Regions of China: 叉烧酥 Cantonese BBQ Pork Pastry- A Dim Sum Favorite

What is your favorite Dim Sum dish? or are you so overwhelmed by the variety of choices that you don't know even where to begin. Crazy about Chinese Food Chelsey here to help. Let me break it down for you bit by bit starting here with one very popular pick to get your mouth watering - Barbecue Pork Pastries with a buttery flaky crust and sweet and savory filling. Only this time you can make it yourself, save your money and get the sense of DIY satisfaction. Then once you have mastered making it at home an outing to a Dim Sum restaurant with friends and family is still worth a just because if only for the sensory and socially marvelous experience that it is. It's is not just about the food right...or is it? He He

BBQ Pork Filling

500 grams Cantonese BBQ pork (can substitute leftover pork chops etc.)

1 small onion, chopped into small pieces

3 cloves garlic

1 inch ginger, grated

1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp. oyster sauce

1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. soy sauce

1 tbsp. sesame oil

2 1/2 Tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. hoisin sauce

1 tsp. chicken bouillon

2 cups water mixed with 2.5 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 cup water mixed with 2.5 Tbsp. corn flour or white flour

red food coloring (optional for color)

Dough 1 (butter dough):
1/2 cup lard
1 1/3 cups real butter (salted)
1 1/4 cups cake flour

Dough 2 (tart dough):
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. lard
1 Tbsp. sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
1 egg
1/2 cup water

To make the filling：

Weigh out 500 grams BBQ Pork Char Siew.

Chop into small pieces

Fry onions, garlic and ginger until onions are soft.

Stir in oyster sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, salt, hoisin sauce, chicken bouillon, 2 cups water mixed with cornstarch.

Once sauce has thickened dd in the BBQ Pork. Cover and reduce the heat to low and simmer 10 minutes. Remove the lid and simmer another 5 minutes.

Pour in water/cornflour mixture and cook one minute then turn off the heat.

Remove to a container and refrigerate to cool the temperature and make it firmer and easier to work with.

To Make Dough 1

Cut very cold butter and lard into small chunks and add to a food processor along with 1 1/4 cups cake flour (all-purpose is fine as well).

Process until smooth and creamy.

Remove to a piece of plastic wrap.

Fold the plastic wrap over the butter dough and then flatten into a 1 inch wide block, Wrap completely with the plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 1/2 hour. It is important for the rolling out that it starts to harden but is not solid. If it is left in the fridge too long and it get too hard to roll out with dough 2 then you can optionally roll them out separately then stack on on top of each other before making the folds.

To Make Dough 2

Place 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 2 Tbsp. lard, 1 Tbsp. sugar, 3/4 tsp. salt, 1 egg, and 1/2 cup water in a food processor.

Process until smooth. The tart dough will be very sticky and soft. This is how you want it so don't be tempted to add more flour. Remove from the food processor and wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for the remaining time with dough 1.

Rolling out Dough 1 and 2

Liberally dust a large sheet of parchment paper with all-purpose flour. Place the block of dough 1 in the middle of the parchment paper. Place dough 2 beside dough one and toss with a little flour.

Flatten out to the same size and shape as dough 1.

Place dough 2 on top of dough 1 and dust liberally with flour. Dust the entire surface of the parchment paper with flour once more.

Place a large sheet of parchment paper on top of the stack of dough then using a large rolling pin, held with only one hand so you don't apply too heavy of a force, start to beat the two doughs to flatten out to twice the size. Lift up and liberally dust with flour under the dough before placing it back down. Dust the top of the dough with flour as well.

Roll out or continue to beat it, if needed, until 1 foot by 1 1/2-2 foot . If you feel any sticking you need to dust again with flour and frequently check the bottom to make sure it is not sticking.

Fold both sides over.

Then fold in half. If needed at this stage you can place it back in the the fridge for 1/2 hour. This will depend on many factor, How hot your house is, how fast you work and how cold your fridge is. But you should not attempt more than two rolling outs and folding before returning it to the fridge.

Roll the dough out a second time.

And fold up just like you did the second time. Remember to use lots of flour again just like in the first rolling. Place in the fridge for 1/2 hour.

Making BBQ Pork Pastry:

Remove the dough from the fridge and roll out, fold up, and roll out one more time. The finally rolling out should be to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut the dough into 3"x 3" squares.

Place 1 heaping Tbsp. filling in the center of a square. Bring the top two corners together and pinch then seal along the edge so you have an open cone shape. You can optionally form the cone first and then stuff with filling-which ever is easier for you.