Pan-fried Pork Buns ~ 豬肉餡餅

The current hot spell is ideal for making buns or bread as the hot temperature will speed up the proofing process.  Yeast dough 'rises' or 'proofs' best when the temperature is between 80 to 85 deg. F which is about 27 to 29.5 deg.C but right now our El Nino weather is hovering around 32 to 35 deg. C which exceeds the best temperature for yeast baking.  So rather than lamenting on the sticky weather, I made some pan-fried buns.  All along I've been baking bread and buns but this is the first time that I'm pan-frying then.  Not a disappointment and as I was assembling the buns, the rest of the dough kept on rising for it was super hot in the kitchen that day !

Pan-fried Pork Bun  ~ 豬肉餡餅  (adapted from 'here' with modification)

Ingredients for the Filling

• 300 gm mince pork
• 4 stalks spring onions (divided)
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• 1,1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1.1/2 tsp light soya sauce
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 tsp Shaoxing wine

Ingredients for Dough

• 150 gm plain flour
• 150 gm high protein or bread flour
• 1 tsp icing sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 170 to 180 ml lukewarm water
• 1 tsp instant dried yeast

Method for Filling

1. Smash up 2 stalks of spring onion, mix in 3 Tbsp water and squeeze out the juice, set aside.
2. Chop up the other 2 stalks of spring onions.
3. Mix all the sauces, sugar, pepper, wine with the mince pork and chopped spring onions, add in the spring onion juice, stir in one direction till the meat becomes gluey.  Cover with cling wrap and keep in the fridge for 30 mins.  (This can be done a day before and keep refrigerated till ready for use.  I did this).

Method for Dough

1. Sift both flours, icing sugar and salt into a mixing bowl, stir well with a wire whisk.
2. Add lukewarm water to the yeast and stir till yeast dissolved.
3. Pour this mixture into the flour mixture and mix with a spatula to form a sticky dough.  Transfer to a flour dusted work top and knead till the dough is smooth and not sticky OR you can do this in your mixing bowl if it is big enough.
4. Cover with cling wrap or a damp cloth and let rest for about 1 hour till double in size.
5. Poke the dough with your index finger and if the depression stays and doesn't spring back, the dough is ready for use.
6. Knock off some air from the dough and lightly knead the dough.  Divide into 2 rolls and cut up the dough, to 5 or 6 pieces.
7. Flatten a piece of dough with the rolling pin into a circle with the centre thicker than the edges.
8. Place some meat filling onto the centre, pleat it up, and place sealed side down.  (Cover the rest of the dough with cling wrap or damp cloth while waiting to be assembled, to prevent them from drying up).
9. Heat up a non-stick pan with a little oil and place the buns, sealed side down, flatten them a bit, turn on low heat, cover with lid.  Cook for 5 mins. on each side.
10. Dish out and serve immediately.
11. Yield :  11 buns.