They can be found at any dim sum restaurant. This China southern style puff pastry is folded around the sweet and meaty filling, brushed with an egg wash, and sprinkled with sesame seeds. Can be oblong or crescent shaped.
Traditional southern style pastry is shaped by making and combining low-fat and high-fat dough which requires good amount of work. I took a short cut using the store-bought puff pastry and came up with a cheater’s version. With this hassle-free recipe, you can skip all the fussy steps and make some awesome and flaky char siu pastry on the go. They are perfectly served when they’re still hot, with a cup of your favorite Chinese tea.
Makes 6
Filling
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 teaspoon minced shallot小红葱头
- 1/4 yellow onion about 40g 洋葱， minced
- 80g char siu pork, diced叉烧肉切小粒 (click here for homemade char siu pork)
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce海鲜酱
- ½ tablespoon caster sugar (optional)白糖
Thickening (simply mix all the ingredients below in a bowl)
- 1 tablespoon corn starch玉米淀粉
- 3 tablespoons water
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 packet store-bought frozen puff pastry block, 375g, (you will need have it thawed in the fridge overnight.)
- whisked egg, for egg wash
- 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
Method
- Make the thickening by mixing all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
2. Heat oil in a frying pan. fry the minced shallot over medium-high heat until aromatic. Add the minced onion and cook until soft and translucent, followed by the diced char siu. Stir in the char siu sauce with the water. Cook until it starts to boil. Add the thickening and cook to your preferred consistency. Transfer to a large bowl and let it cool down. Set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 400F / 200C. In the meantime, lightly sprinkle flour on a clean surface. Roll out the puff pastry into a 32cm x 22cm (12.5inch x 8. 5inch) rectangle sheet with a rolling pin. Use a 10-cm (4-inch) cookie cutter (or use any round shape plate or bowl available in your kitchen) to trim out 6 circles.
4. Place a heaped tablespoon of char siu filling in the middle of each circle. Damp the sides with water and seal tightly. Repeat this step with the remaining fillings. Carefully transfer the char siu pastry on a lined baking tray. Lightly brush egg wash on pastries. Cut 2 to 3 slits in the middle of each pastry surface. Sprinkle sesame seeds. Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve hot.
lets-playdough.com 