Chinese BBQ Pork Buns

In a medium saucepan, mix 1/3 cup flour with the water and 1/3 cup milk until the flour is dissolved. Put the pan over medium heat and stir constantly until the mixture resembles a thick paste, about 3-5 minutes. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the 5 cups of flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Add the flour paste (tangzhong), 1 cup milk, 2 eggs and melted butter. Stir together to form a soft dough, and knead (by hand or with the dough hook attachment of your mixer) for 15-20 minutes. Form the dough into a ball and place into a lightly greased bowl. Cover with a damp cloth, and let it rise for 1 hour.

While the dough is rising, make the meat filling. Heat the canola oil in a wok over medium high heat. Add the onion and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and dark soy sauce. Stir and cook until it starts to bubble up. Add the chicken stock and flour. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook, stirring as it cooks, for a couple minutes until thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the roast pork. Set aside to cool.

After it has risen, separate the dough into 16 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a small circle, where the center is slightly thinner than the edges. Fill each with meat filling, and crimp them closed, making sure they’re tightly sealed. Lay them out seam side down on baking sheets that you’ve lined with parchment paper, and let them rise for another hour. Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C) towards the end of the rising time.

Combine the egg and milk in a small bowl and lightly beat them together. Brush the top of the buns with this egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds (if using). Put them in the oven and immediately turn the oven down from 400 F (200 C) to 350 F (about 175 F). Bake for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown.