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Pork fillet is a lean, tender, boneless cut and so easy to prepare. Around Christmastime, it’s even more popular as it’s quick-cooking and versatile. Pre-order this cut from your butcher or replace with strips of boneless pork neck or ribeye steak (shoulder), if you struggle to find fillet. Pork neck and shoulder are both well-marbled, so add an extra 10 minutes roasting time to make sure that the fat renders and the meat is juicy and tender.
1 Coconut bao with Chinese BBQ pork fillet
These buns are quick to prepare and taste just as good as a deluxe takeaway. Find ready-made Chinese BBQ glaze (char siu) at your local Asian grocer or Woolworths. It has a unique sweet and savoury flavour. You could also use your favourite BBQ sauce, just make sure it’s deliciously thick and sticky, so it coats and glazes the meat while it roasts.
Makes 12-14 buns
Preparation: 40 minutes, plus marinating time
Cooking time: 35 minutes
CHAR SIU PORK
- 2 pork fillets (about 600g each)
- 160ml Chinese BBQ glaze (char siu sauce)
BUNS
- 1 tin (400ml) coconut milk, shaken
- 2 heaped coconut milk tins
- self-raising flour (about 500g), plus extra for rolling
- 15ml sesame oil
TO SERVE
- 1 small cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 small green apple, peeled and cut into julienne strips
- 1-2 red chillies, finely chopped
- 125ml micro herbs
- your favourite sauces for dipping
1. Remove the thin silver membranes on the outside of the fillet (or ask your local butcher to do it for you with a razor-sharp knife). Put the meat in a Ziplock bag and add ¾ of the sauce. Seal the bag and thoroughly massage the sauce into the meat. If time allows, marinate in the fridge for a couple of hours. Make sure the meat returns to room temperature before cooking.
2. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Use tongs to remove the meat from the bag and gently lay on the rack of a roasting tray lined with foil. Add about a cup of water to the bottom of the tray to keep any dripping glaze from catching and roast in the oven for 20 minutes.
3. Remove the tray from the oven, turn the meat over on the rack and brush with some of the remaining glaze. Return to the oven and grill for another 5 minutes. Repeat on the other side, glazing and grilling for another 10 minutes until the meat is sticky all over and fully cooked. Allow to rest for 5 minute before slicing thinly.
4. For the rolls Put the coconut milk in a large mixing bowl. Add the flour and stir to form a soft, slightly sticky dough. You may need a little more flour. Using your hands, knead the dough in a bowl until it comes together, then turn out onto a floured surface.
5. Divide the dough into two equal pieces and roll them into sausages. Using a sharp knife, cut each sausage into 6 or 7 equal-sized pieces. Lightly oil your hand and press each piece flat, then fold them over to form the bao. Place the shaped rolls in white greased cupcake papers to keep them from sticking to the steamer.
6. Divide the bao between two bamboo steamers. Pour boiling water about 2cm deep in a thick-based pan or wok and bring to the boil over high heat. Stack the two baskets on top of each other and put the lid on. Place the steamer over the boiling water and steam for about 15 minutes – don’t be tempted to peek! Make sure the water doesn’t boil away before the rolls have finished steaming. Remove from the heat and allow to stand for another 5 minutes.
7. To serve, fill the warm buns with the cucumber, apple and herbs and pile generously with the sticky pork slices. Sprinkle the chilli over and serve with buns and any extra char siu glaze or your favourite dipping sauces. Thai sweet chilli, plum sauce or soy sauce spiked with ginger, garlic and chilli are some of my favourites.
2 Chinese BBQ pork filled buns
Roast an extra fillet or use leftover pork to make the filling for these delicious, plump buns made using the same easy dough.
Makes 12 buns
Preparation: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
PORK FILLING
- 1 cooked char siu pork fillet, finely chopped
- 6 spring onions, finely chopped
- 60ml chopped coriander
- squeeze of lemon juice
- 30ml char siu sauce
BUNS
- 1 tin (400ml) coconut milk, shaken
- 2 heaped coconut milk tins
- self-raising flour (about 500g), plus extra for rolling
- 15ml sesame oil
- 15ml sesame seeds
1. Prepare the filling by mixing all the ingredients together; adjust the seasoning to your taste – you want the pork mixture to be fragrant and saucy, but not too wet.
2. For the rolls: Put the coconut milk in a large mixing bowl. Add the flour and stir to form a soft, slightly sticky dough. You may need a little more flour. Using your hands, knead the dough in a bowl until it comes together, then turn out onto a floured surface.
3. Divide the dough into two equal pieces and roll them into sausages. Using a sharp knife, cut each sausage into 6 equal-sized pieces. Lightly oil your hand and press each piece flat to form a circle. Place a large spoonful of the meat filling in the middle of the flattened dough and shape the dough into a bun around the filling. Arrange the buns, seam side down, in white greased cupcake papers to prevent them from sticking to the steamer. Sprinkle the tops with sesame seeds.
4. Divide the buns between two bamboo steamers. Pour boiling water about 2cm deep in a thick-based pan or wok and bring to the boil over high heat. Stack the two baskets on top of each other and put the lid on. Place the steamer over the boiling water and steam for about 15 minutes – don’t be tempted to peek! Make sure the water doesn’t boil away before the rolls have finished steaming. Remove from the heat and allow to stand for another 5 minutes. Serve warm.
