Kungpao Bao

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb ground chicken or pork dash black pepper 2 green onions, finely chopped 1/4 cup Ying's Kungpao Sauce 1 teaspoon sesame oil Dough ¾ cup warm water 1 teaspoon yeast 2 teaspoons sugar 2 tablespoons oil 2 ½ cups unbleached all purpose flour

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Put ¾ cup warm water in a mixing bowl, add the yeast, stir to dissolve it, and let it stand for 1 minute or until slightly foamy. Add sugar, oil and flour, and mix until well blended. Remove dough from bowl and knead until smooth. Cover dough and let it rest for about 1 hour.

2. Bread machine: using dough ingredients above, follow bread machine instructions for making dough. Be sure to add the ingredients in the order directed by the instructions for the bread machine.

3. In a mixing bowl add ground chicken, black pepper, chopped green onion, Ying's Kungpao Sauce, sesame oil and mix well.

4. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead it for a few turns. Then roll it with your hands into a 1 ½-inch diameter cylinder about 14 inches long. Cut the cylinder into 1-inch pieces. Turn the pieces on their sides and press with your palm to flatten them. Lightly roll each one with a rolling pin into a 3-inch round, rotating the dough as you roll and rolling the edges thinner than the center. Cover the rounds immediately with a slightly damp cloth to keep them moist.

5. Place about 2 tablespoons of fillings in the center of each round, keeping the remaining rounds covered with the damp cloth. Use one thumb to push the filling down while you pinch and pleat the edges of the round with the thumb and forefinger of your other hand to enclose the filling. Try to make the pleats thin and even.

6. Put about 3 or 4 inches of water in the bottom of the steamer and bring it to a boil. Use cheesecloth or napa leaves to line the rack, so the buns won’t stick to the rack. Place the buns on the lining, pleated side up, about 1 inch apart. Steam for about 12 minutes. If you have 2 racks, two tiers can be steamed at one time.

Serve the buns directly from the steamer or transfer them to a platter.