Siew Pau ( Roasted Buns ) 烧包

Siew pau. This is the first thing that comes into my mind when you talk about Seremban. Siew pau may have been existed very long ago but it was only until the first outlet in town that carries the signboard " Seremban Siew Pau"  that i actually fell in love with this chinese pastry. I guess it was not just only me, never before i seen people waiting a long queue just to buy siew pau. I mean they are really really good..from your first bite up till your last. The pastry is so fragrant, flaky and i tell you, when you walk past the outlets or waiting at the queue, the smells of those baking buns in the oven can be so tantalising that will cause you to be very impatient that you just want to quickly grab one and eat! I found a page here where they talk about how do these famous seremban siew paus came about. Much later then , more and more outlets opened up, some under a different franchise name but i personally still prefer the one that i linked up there. I"m not that overly mad over these siew paus now compared to before but if anyone were to offer me one, i will still be very happy and wont say no:)

These home baked siew paus though cant beat the original seremban siew pau but considering it to be own baked, own effort that comes with sweat and love, they are good! The pastry doesnt turn really dead soft the next day and you can always reheat them in the oven 160C for a few minutes for better results.

Recipe
makes 10 buns
Fillings
180gm chopped char siew
1 clove garlic, minced

Sauce
1tsp hoisin sauce
1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
1.5tsp char siew sauce
1tsp dark soya sauce
1/2tsp sugar
just a little white pepper

1tsp tapioca/cornflour + 1tbsp water ( for thickening )

Method: Mix all the sauce together except pepper. Pour about 1/2 tbsp of oil in wok, saute the garlic and add in the char siew plus the sauce. Stir and mix them around till the char siew is well coated with sauce, add the pepper, fry them for about 1-2 minutes. Add in the thickening solution, remove and let it cool down. I put in the fridge overnight for easier wrapping.

Pastry ( from Cook 4 You & Me, with some adjustments )
Pastry A ( water dough)
110gm plain flour
30gm butter
12gm icing sugar
60ml water

Pastry B( oil dough )
80gm flour
50gm shortening

egg wash for glazing
sesame seeds

Method:
1.Using a food processor, put in all ingredients (A) except water and give them 2-3 pulses. Add water slowly , pulse a few times to form a dough ( you may not see a round dough forming but gather all clumps together with your hand, you can form a dough ) Shape it into round and leave aside.
2. Again using the food processor, add in the flour and shortening all at once. Pulse a few times to form another dough. Leave both dough(1) and (2) for 30 minutes.
3.Divide both dough into 10 pieces and shape them into round balls. Wrap oil dough into water dough , round them again and flatten it. Using a rolling pin, roll them into oblong shape , roll them up like swiss roll.
Turn 90C and roll them out into oblong shape and roll them into swiss roll again. Repeat for all the rest of the dough.
4. Start from the very first completed roll ( from step 3) , flatten the dough into round disc and put in filling. Wrap and seal the buns. Repeat this step for the rest of the dough. Apply egg wash on all the surface of the buns, sprinkle sesame seeds on top and bake in a preheated oven 180C for 25minutes till they are browned. ( I baked them at 180 for 20 minutes, they are still pale. I then on the oven fan 180C at bake for another 15minutes )

I am submitting this post to Malaysian Food Fest ( N.Sembilan Month )  hosted by Hody of Cook 4 You & Me