Project Food Blog Challenge #2: The Classics

One of the first food memories I have is of stuffing my 2-year-old face with fistfuls of delicious Barbecue Pork Buns (Cha Siu Bao), baked to golden perfection and containing the ideal balance of savory and sweet, while my grandfather chatted with the other old timers over a cup of coffee and the daily Chinese newspaper in our favorite hole-in-the-wall in Chinatown.

Cha Siu Bao is a classic Cantonese dim sum dish that I have never dreamed of recreating on my own. Partly because it always seemed too daunting and labor-intensive (true dim sum chefs spend years perfecting their craft), and partly because they are so darn cheap ($1 or less in Chinatown), why not just leave it to the pros?

Well, since Project Food Blog has challenged me to tackle a classic dish, I figured this would be a good a time as any to try my hand at recreating this ultimate dim sum morsel.

If you?re not familiar with this dish, they are buns that are stuffed with a saucy filling of barbecue pork (cha siu), onions, and other highly addictive, umami-rich ingredients. The bun can be steamed fluffy and white, or baked to a light golden glaze with a touch of honey. When executed correctly, the Cha Siu Bao is a veritable poetic exercise in complementary flavors and textures. When executed by a dim sum amateur?a little MacGyver-ing may be required in the end?[Read Full Post]