Seremban Siew Bao / Shao Bao (Baked BBQ Pork Pastry)

Siew Bao / Shao Bao (Baked Flaky BBQ Pork Pastry 烧包)

Seremban Siew Bao / Shao Bao (Baked BBQ Pork Pastry)

Course: Baked Buns

Cuisine: Asian

Prep Time: 1

Cook Time: 35

Total Time: 1 35

Servings: pastries

Calories: 254kcal

Author: Marvellina

If you’ve ever had the iconic Seremban siew bao in Malaysia, you know how addictive they are. These baked BBQ pork buns have a flaky golden crust and a sweet-savory filling. and yes, you can totally make them at home.

Print Recipe

US Customary - Metric

Equipment

Ingredients

Water dough:

210 g all-purpose flour
30 g powdered sugar
½ tsp salt
70 g unsalted butter softened at room temperature
100 g water or as needed

Oil dough:

160 g all-purpose flour
110 g unsalted butter softened at room temperature

Filling:

400 g Chinese bbq pork
1 Tbsp oil
1 small onion
3 Tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 Tbsp sugar
¼ tsp freshly ground white pepper
½ cup water

To thicken the filling:

1 Tbsp corn starch
2 Tbsp water

For glazing:

2 large egg yolks beaten
1 tsp water
Sesame seeds

Instructions

Prepare the filling: (prepare the day before)

Please follow the instruction here to make the char siu
Preheat your wok or skillet over high heat. Add in the oil. Add onions and saute until fragrant and soft, about 3 minutes. Add the BBQ pork (or uncooked chicken meat if that's what you are using, and cook until they turn opaque in color). Add hoisin sauce, dark soy sauce, pepper, sugar and stir to combine everything. Add the water and bring to a simmer. Have a taste and it should be sweet and savory.
Combine cornstach with water to make a slurry and pour into the meat mixture and cook until the filling is thickened and moist
Remove from the heat and let it cool down completely. Cover and keep in the fridge. It's easier to wrap when the filling is cold

Prepare water dough:

Add flour, sugar, and salt to a mixing bowl. Whisk to mix together. Add the softened butter.
Use your hands to rub the butter into the flour mixture. It would resemble some coarse crumbs. Add the water and gently knead into the dough. You may need more water or you may not. I only used 50 grams of water
The dough is not going to be smooth but it should be soft. Your bowl should be clean.
Wrap with a cling wrap and set aside to let it rest for 15 minutes

Prepare the oil dough:

Add flour and softened butter to the same mixing bowl.
Use your hands to rub the butter into the flour until you can form a non-sticky dough. This dough has no gluten development because there's no water. Roll the dough into a long log and cut into 16 equal pieces.
Roll them into round dough balls. Keep them covered
After resting the water dough, divide into 16 pieces (about 26 grams each). Round each one into a dough ball. Lightly dust your work surface with a bit of flour if necessary

Put the two doughs together:

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat oven at 400 F (200 C). I have a conventional oven with bottom heat only. If your oven has both bottom and top heat, you may want to lower the temperature by 15 C/ 20 F
Lightly flour your work surface. Take one water dough and flatten it into a round with your palm and use a rolling pin to roll from center to the edge to form a disc, about 3 inches. Put the oil dough on top
Wrap the water dough around it.
Pinch the seam to seal tightly.
Repeat with the rest. Cover them with a cling wrap

Shaping:

Work with one dough at a time and keep the rest covered. Place the seam side up.
Roll the dough from the center and outward into an oblong shape, about 5 inches long.
Roll it up like a Swiss roll.
Rotate 90 degrees
Roll it out again from the center and outward into a longer oblong shape, about 10 inches long.
Swiss roll it up again. Put aside and cover. Repeat with the rest
Place the swirl side down
Flatten with your palm
Use a rolling pin to roll it out from the center and outward to form a circle about 5 inches wide and slightly thicker at the center.
Place the filling on the center and then pleat the dough and pinch to seal the dough well.
You need to really seal it well or it will open up during baking.
Place the shaped pastry on a baking sheet, about 1 inch apart. Repeat with the rest of the dough and filling
Brush the shaped pastry with egg wash

Baking:

Put the baking sheet in the oven, middle rack and bake for 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and brush with some egg wash and sprinkle some sesame seeds on top. Put the baking sheet back into the oven and bake for another 20 minutes or until they are golden brown
Remove from the oven and let them cool down for 10-15 minutes before serving. The outside shell is crispy and when you bite into it, it flakes, which is what we want

Notes

I would recommend making a full recipe for the filling because the leftover is so good with some plain rice or tossed with some noodles. Just a suggestion :)

Nutrition