pork belly buns Archives - Asian Dumpling Tips

Chinese yeast dough is extremely versatile and easy to prepare. In fact, I usually let the food processor do the work so that the dough comes together in minutes. With the dough, I make filled buns to create steamed or pan-fried bao. Or I form the dough into little rolls that can be served alongside rich meats, such as Cantonese roasted pork, roasted duck, deep-fried duck or braised pork belly. You may have seen these types of rolls at Asian weddings, celebrations and the frozen food aisle at Chinese markets. They’re also the ones at places like Momofuku Ssam Bar and Noodle Bar in New York City. No Ancient Chinese secret here. Just an easy yeast dough made from grocery store ingredients. As a bonus, you can freeze the steamed rolls for up to 3 months. Just thaw and resteam to refresh and reheat.

Makes 16 large, 24 medium, or 32 small rolls

1 1/4 pounds Basic Yeast Dough (see Asian Dumplings, page 92, or “The Trick to Making Bao” in the Los Angeles Times)

1. Cut the dough into 16, 24, or 32 pieces for large, medium, and small rolls, respectively. Then roll out the dough pieces to form circles that are a scant 1/4 inch thick. There’s no need to make a belly here.

2. Brush a little canola oil on one half of the dough circle to prevent it from sticking and make it easier to pry open later. Fold the circle over into a semi-circle and then put on a parchment paper square.

3. Place in a bamboo steamer or on a baking sheet, let rise for 20 to 30 minutes, and then steam over boiling water for 6 to 8 minutes, until puffy and dry looking. When done, the rolls will resemble pairs of thick lips. Serve the rolls with the sliced meat or pre-assemble the little sandwiches for your guests. Moisten the roll with some of the cooking juices, if available.