Chicken Bao

There was a period that I was crazed over making bao, this was one of the project.

Recipe adapted from Honey Bee Sweets

Bao skin Ingredient:

400g pao flour or hong kong flour

80g sugar

1/2 tsp salt

10g double action baking powder

2 tsp instant active yeast

40g shortening

200ml water

Chicken Filling:

Chicken thigh meat, deboned and skinned, cut into small chunks

8 dried mushrooms, socked and cut into small chunks

1 stalk of green onion, cut small

6 water chestnuts, peeled and cut small

120g jicama (bang kuan), peeled and cut small chunks

4 to 5 hard boil eggs, cut into wedges

Seasoning:

2 tsp ginger juice

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp rose wine

1.5 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp sesame oil

dash of pepper

1.5 tsp chicken seasoning

2 tsp cornflour

Thickening sauce:

1 tbsp cornstarch mixed in 2 tbsp warm water

Method:

1. In a large bowl, place the prepared chicken thigh meat in and add all the seasoning in, mix well. Let it marinate for at least 1.5 hrs in the refrigerator.
2. To make the Bao skin, place everything in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Knead the mixture till it becomes a soft dough. Let rest for 10 minutes and knead it again till the dough becomes smooth. Cover the dough and let proof for 1.5 hrs to 2 hrs till it doubles.
3. In the meantime, prepare the frying wok with 2 tbsp of cooking oil @ medium heat. First add the jicama and chestnuts, stir fry for a minute, then add the marinated chicken. Continue to stir fry till cooked. Add in the thickening mixture and stir well. Dish up and let cool before wrapping.
4. Punch out the proofed dough and divide it to about 15 to 16 portions. Roll them round and let rest for another 15 minutes before filling and shaping the baos.
5. Take a portion of the dough and roll flat and fill about 3 tbsp of the chicken filling in. Place 1 wedge of the hard boil egg on top and gently seal up the bao. Repeat this until all the Bao skin and filling has been used up.
6. Prepare the steamer and steam the baos for at least 10 minutes at high heat. After 10 minutes, remove from steamer and let cool for 5 minutes before serving. 

Notes :

Let the baos proof for at least 10 minutes before putting it into the steamer.

this recipe makes about 15 medium to big bao.