Fragrant Stewed Meat for Slit Paus

This stewed meat is quite similar to the 'Nam Yue' steamed paus.  But here, I cooked this stewed meat without the preserved soya beancurd [nam yue].   I'm using the stewed meat as filling for steamed slit paus [kong bak pau].    This was prepared during CNY for breakfast, serving it with hot steaming white slit paus [should be good too with steaming hot white rice]. 

In Taiwan, slit paus are very popular street food and they serve it with shredded lettuce leaves, stewed meat and ground peanuts.  We had this for dinner cos' it was very filling.

Ingredients

[can get about 16 pieces meat]

300 gm pork belly

2 tbsp chopped garlic and shallots

1 tbsp oilSeasoning

3-4 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tsp dark soy sauce

2-3 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp each of pepper and 5 spice powder

1 tbsp each of oyster sauce and cooking wine

1 small piece star anise

1 tsp chicken stock granules

250 ml or enough water to cover meat

1. Boil some water in a pan to blanch pork belly until firm.  Drain and rinse.  Cut into bite size pieces.
2. Marinate meat with seasoning for 1-2 hours.
3. Heat a pan with oil, put in marinated pork pieces.  Pan fry until brown then add in star anise, remaining marinade and enough water to cook meat.
4. Bring to a rolling boil, then lower heat to stew meat until tender and gravy is reduced [add more water if necessary to cook until meat is tender but firm].
5. Taste to adjust seasoning.  Refrigerate and reheat meat before serving with slit paus.

Recipe for Steamed Slit Paus
[makes 16 pieces]

350 gm plain flour sifted to with 1 tsp double action baking powder

Mix together - 200 ml lukewarm water, 40 gm caster sugar and 1/4 tsp vinegar

1 tsp instant yeast

1 tbsp shortening

Using a Dough Mixer or Hand Knead

1. Combine all the ingredients [except shortening] in a mixing bowl.  Knead until soft [about 5-10 minutes].  Then add in the shortening, continue to knead until soft, smooth and elastic.
2. Shape into a ball and cover to rest for about 20-30 minutes or until double in size.
3. Punch down dough and remove dough to a floured surface, shape into a round ball.  Divide into 16 equal portions. Shape each into a ball, then roll into flat circle or slightly oval shape.
4. Brush the centre with a little oil [to prevent pau from being attached].  
5. Do not brush the edge.  Fold into half, slightly pressed the centre of the edge.  Place on parchment or greased proof  paper in the steaming tray.
6. Leave to proof for 15 - 20 minutes or until double in size.
7. Steam over high heat for 12 minutes in steamer.  Off heat and leave paus for a further 3 minutes before uncovering to cool on rack. This is to prevent wrinkle, rough skin.