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1
To make the filling, in a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, salt, white pepper, and water and stir to dissolve the sugar.
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2
Set this flavoring sauce aside.
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3
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.
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4
Add the onion and saute for 1 to 2 minutes, or until soft and fragrant.
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5
Add the pork, breaking it into small pieces, and cook and stir for about 2 minutes, or until half done.
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6
Add the mushrooms, cabbage, carrot, and peas, stir to combine, and then pour in the flavoring sauce.
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7
Saute for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the vegetables are cooked and only a little liquid remains.
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8
Add the Chinese sausage and Char Siu Pork and stir to combine.
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9
Add the cornstarch and stir for 1 minute to bind the filling.
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10
Transfer to a bowl and set aside, uncovered, to cool completely.
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11
To make the dough, in a bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, and baking powder.
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12
Make a well in the center, pour the oil and milk into the well, and use a rubber spatula to stir the ingredients to form a soft, ragged mass.
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13
Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 1 to 2 minutes, or until it is a relatively smooth, yet slightly sticky ball.
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14
Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
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15
Let rest for 1 hour.
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16
Fill the steamer pan halfway with water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
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17
Lower the heat until you are ready to steam.
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18
Have ready sixteen 3-inch squares of parchment paper.
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19
Remove the dough from the bowl, cut it in half, and then re-cover one-half with the inverted bowl while you work with other half.
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20
On your work surface, shape the dough into a log and cut into 8 equal pieces.
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21
Loosely cover 7 of the pieces with a dish towel to prevent drying.
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22
To make a bun, place a piece of dough, cut side down, on a lightly floured work surface and shape it into a disk.
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23
Imagine a quarter-sized circle in the center, what the Chinese call the belly of the wrapper.
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24
You want to roll out the disk into a flat, round wrapper that retains a thick belly, so that there wont be more dough on the bottom of the bun than on the top.
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25
With this in mind, start rolling out the disk from the center to the rim, keeping the belly 1/4 inch thick.
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26
(An Asian-style rolling pin, which is essentially a 1-inch wooden dowel, is ideal for this job.)
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27
Lift and rotate the dough frequently to make sure it doesnt stick to your work surface.
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28
Aim for a wrapper about 5 inches in diameter and 1/8 inch thick at the edge.
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29
Pick up the wrapper and hold it in a slightly cupped hand.
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30
Use your free hand to spoon a heaping tablespoon of the filling into the center of the wrapper.
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31
Gently press on the filling with the back of the spoon to create a well.
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32
Add a wedge of egg, curved white side up.
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33
Mound another tablespoon of filling on top.
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34
The wrapper will seem very full; your cupped hand should naturally close a little more to keep the buns shape.
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35
To enclose the filling, use your free hand to pleat the rim of the wrapper.
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36
Pick up the rim of the dough circle between the tips of your thumb and index finger, stretching it a bit and pinching the dough together to form 1/4- to 1/2-inch pleats.
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37
Keep gathering and pleating the rim in an accordion pattern.
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38
As you pleat, use the thumb of your cupped hand to tuck the filling inside the wrapper.
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39
After you have pleated all around the rim, there will be a small fluted hole at the top.
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40
Twist and pinch it closed; if there is an excessive amount of dough, pinch some off and discard.
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41
Place the bun, pleated side down, on a parchment square.
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42
Repeat with the other dough pieces.
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43
Then cut and shape the remaining half of the dough for 8 more buns.
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44
Place as many buns in the steamer trays as possible, spaced 1 inch apart and 1 inch away from the edge where condensation collects.
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45
Leave the remaining buns out, covered, until a tray is available.
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46
Return the water in the steamer pan to a rolling boil.
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47
Loosely cover 1 of the filled trays with parchment or waxed paper to prevent drying.
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48
Place the other tray in the steamer, cover, and steam the buns for 20 minutes, or until they have puffed up and look dry.
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49
Turn off the heat and wait for the steam to subside before lifting the lid, and then lift it away from you carefully to avoid condensation dripping onto the buns.
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50
Remove the tray and use a metal spatula to transfer the buns, on the parchment, to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes.
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51
Steam the second tray the same way.
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52
Put the remaining buns in the empty tray and repeat.
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53
Arrange the buns, still on the parchment, on a platter and serve.
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54
Remove the parchment before eating the buns out of hand.
