Homemade Baked Char Siew Bao

A while back I posted a recipe for Baked Red Bean buns. I've been wanting to follow that up with this post because I use the same dough recipe to make the buns but the filling can be changed up.

There is a lot you can with that basic sweet dough recipe. As you know, besides the red bean buns, I've also just rolled them up and wrapped them around hot dogs to make hot dog buns. And I've even gotten some pork soong (pork floss) and stuffed that in the dough.

This time around, I made some char siew filling for the buns. They're not quite like the ones you find at the dimsum places. If you know how to make that filling, would you please share it with me?

Homemade Baked Char Siew Bao

The Little Bao That Packs a Big Punch

I do like the one I'm sharing today though. It is a little bit more sesame flavored but still packs quite a flavor punch. I don't recall where I got the recipe from already (I just have it written down on a piece of paper) but I believe it probably came from Kuali.com (which is a great resource for Malaysian recipes, by the way).

This filling is more commonly used for another baked char siew bun called Seremban Siew Pau. In Malaysia, Seremban (a small town) is famous for its baked char siew baos. They are different from the version I make in that the Seremban Siew Pau pastry is flakier. I have been meaning to try that version and when I do have success with that, I will post it here.

In the meantime, do try out this baked char siew bao filling!

Char Siew Filling for Baked buns

Ingredients
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
500g char siew, diced small
110g yellow onion, diced small
3 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp sesame oil
1/8 tsp white pepper
2 Tbsp oyster sauce
4-5 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp water
1 tsp tapioca flour
1 1/2 tsp all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Method
1. Heat vegetable oil and stir-fry the onions over medium heat until translucent, about 2 mins. Add in char siew and stir to mix.

Adding Char Siew to Onions for Char Siew Bao Filling

2. Add in soy sauce, salt, sesame oil, white pepper, oyster sauce, sugar and stir to coat char siew and onions and continue to cook over low heat.

Adding Oyster Sauce to Char Siew Filling

3. Mix tapioca flour and AP flour with water to make a slurry and add to char siew mixture. Stir to coat and cook till mixture thickens a little, over med-low heat.
4. Add sesame seeds and remove filling from heat.

Adding Sesame Seeds to Char Siew Filling

5. Cool char siew seasoning and place in refrigerator to slightly harden the filling for better ease in wrapping the buns. Char siew filling can be made several days ahead. The filling also freezes well for use later.

I find that this recipe gives me just a little extra filling after I've made my dough recipe. If you find this to be the case, you can use the extras in stir-fries or in fried rice (it's the best, mixed in fried rice).

Follow the instructions on our Baked Red Bean Buns post to make the dough and bake the char siew bao.

Homemade Baked Char Siew Bao

Enjoy!

Cheers, Annie

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Hungry for more Malaysian Baked Goods? Click below:

Pandan Chiffon Cake

Homemade Pineapple Tarts, Part 2

Pandan Kaya Bread

Third Aunt's Butter Cake

Roti Boy Butter Buns