Recipes

Well, the steamed pork buns were as usual delicious --- I commend this recipe to everyone who is comfortable with bread dough (it is actually much easier than making bread!) --- the filling can be changed around to make it sweeter, tangier, etc. The soup is a bastardized Westernized version: all of the ingredients are easy to find, even in most podunk rural southeastern US grocery stores. I like to add a little srirachi thai hot sauce to my soup: the others in my family don't, so it is left as a condiment rather than an ingredient.

These recipes are written down from memory, but adapted from Oriental Cookery by Sallie Morris. The filling is much more my own creation, since the magic ingredient of Yellow Bean Paste that she calls for can't be found here.

As always, if you try a recipe and like it, please let me know. And if you don't like it, feel free to tell me so:-)

Yours, stuffed,
N.

Hot and Sour Soup
1/2 lb pork cut into matchsticks
3 tbsps corn starch
1 small onion, minced
1-2 tbsps oil
several dried mushrooms
1 1/2 litres beef stock
1 package firm or extra firm tofu, diced
1 tbsp soy sauce
4 tbsps rice wine vinegar
salt, fresh ground white pepper
1-2 eggs, gently beaten
Sesame oil
2 spring onions, sliced

Soak the mushrooms in hot water to cover.  Drain and reserve the water. Finely slice the mushrooms. Fry the onions in the oil until they begin to turn colour.  If the pork is not already cooked (e.g. left over roast pork) then toss in a little of the cornstarch: in either case, add to the onions and stir.  When the pork has changed colour (if uncooked) add the mushrooms and the stock.  Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Add the tofu, salt and pepper, soy sauce and vinegar.  Mix the remaining cornstarch with the reserved mushroom water, and add to the soup.  Cook to thicken for several minutes.  Drizzle the beaten egg into the soup to create threads. Sprinkle with sesame oil.  Serve with the sliced spring onions as garnish.

Steamed Pork Buns
Bread dough
1 lb bread or all purpose flour
1 1/2 tbsps yeast
1 tbsp sugar
10 fl oz warm water
1 tsp salt
1/2 oz lard or butter

Filling
12-16 oz cold roast pork, finely minced
several cloves of garlic, finely minced
1-2 inches fresh ginger, finely minced
2 spring onions, finely minced
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1-2 tbsp teriyaki sauce
Oil for sauteing
1 tbsp cornstarch mixed in water.

Mix the yeast with the water and the sugar, and leave to proof for 15-20 minutes.  Put the flour and salt in the bowl of a large food processor, add the lard or butter and the yeast and water mixture.  Mix for 2 minutes. Add flour if necessary to obtain a soft but not sticky dough. Place in an oiled bowl, covered, to double in size.

While the dough is rising, make the filling: saute the ginger, spring onions and garlic in a little oil: add the pork, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, teriyaki sauce and stir until hot.  Add the cornstarch mixed with water, and cook until thickened.  Allow to cool, and form into 14-16 small balls of filling.  Chill in the freezer if necessary so the balls of stuffing are firm.

Punch down the dough, and knead by hand for several minutes.  Leave to relax for a little while, cut into 14-16 equally sized pieces, and form each into a ball wrapped around the filling.  Place 7-8 stuffed balls of dough into each level of a stacking bamboo steamer,  lined with parchment paper.  Cover with parchment paper and leave to rise for 40 minutes.  Steam over boiling water for 45 minutes.