Austral 9/20/2003

_Chinese Silver Loaves_ (dough for outside of dumpling)

1 3/4 cups hot water

3 T. sugar

2 T. vegetable shortening or oil

6 cups all-purpose (plain) flour

2 T. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

_Roast Pork Filling_

makes 24 buns

1 T. sugar

1 1/2 T. soy sauce

1 T. oyster sauce

1/2 cup chicken stock

1 tsp. sesame oil

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1 drop red food colouring (optional)

1 T. vegetable oil

3/4 lb. diced roast pork (recipe: 3 lbs. pork sirloin cut into 2 inch strips,

marinated in: 2 T. sherry, 2 T. sugar, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 3 T.

hoisin sauce, 1/4 tsp. red food colouring; marinate 4-5 hrs in

fridge; bake 1 hour at 325, brushing with honey three times; let cool

20 min. then dice for dumpling recipe)

1/2 inch piece fresh ginger, minced

1 large or 2 small spring onions, chopped

1 T. cornstarch

2 T. water

1 recipe Silver Loaves

Add sugar and shortening to hot water, stir til sugar is dissolved, and allow

to cool until barely warm.

Sift remaining dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl, and gradually stir in

sugar mixture. Mix well and gradually draw dough together with your hands. It

should be soft, but not sticky.

On a floured board, knead dough about 5-8 minutes, or til smooth and elastic.

Return to bowl, cover with damp cloth and let rise at least 1 hour.

Mix together sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, chicken stock, sesame oil,

black pepper and red food colouring. Set aside.

Stir-fry the pork, ginger, and spring onions in the vegetable oil for 2 min.

Pour in the seasoning mixture and stir for another minute. Stir the cornstarch

into the water and pour into wok. Continue to cook, stirring, until the sauce

is like thick custard. Remove from heat.

Knead the Silver Loaves dough for 3 minutes. Cover and let sit 10 minutes.

Divide into 24 pieces and cover again with the cloth.

Pat each piece of dough into a 4 inch in diameter circle. Place a teaspoon

of pork filling in centre and pleat edges of circle all the way around.

Bring edges up over filling, finally pinching the pleats together firmly at

the centre top. Set aside for 10 minutes.

Place each bun on a piece of wax (greaseproof) paper, and steam with 1/2 inch

of space between them, for 12 minutes. Do not open the steamer while cooking

or else the characteristic splitting of the top of the bun will not take place.