Barbecued Pork Steaks in a Bun

One stormy day several years ago, I was watching Food Network and they were showing one of Pillsbury’s Bake – Off Contests, where contestants win as much as $1 million dollars for their recipes…

My reaction was – WOW!  A $1 million dollar for a recipe?  Are these recipes really worth that much?  Do they really taste that good to be awarded a $million dollars?  So I went to the library and borrow one of Pillsbury’s Cookbooks.  I was curious to try some of these million dollar  recipes.  I want to know, and taste for myself, what makes these recipes won $1 million dollars.

One of the $1 million dollar winning recipes that caught my eye was the Chinese Roast Pork Buns by Wayne Hu.  The picture looked good and the buns reminded me of Siopao, another Chinese dish that I used to enjoy in the Philippines years ago.  Siopao is a steamed bun filled with pork and boiled eggs, served with a sauce.  Thus, I decided to give this dish a try…

The verdict…?

Overall… my family loves these buns.  They are great travel food.  And can be eaten as a snack, lunch, or dinner accompanied with a light soup.

And the preparation is fairly easy because I did not make my own buns.  Instead, I used store bought Pillsbury Buttermilk Biscuits.

My question is… are the really worth $1 million dollars…?

The Barbecued Pork Blade Steaks are awesome.  This is a stand alone dish that can be served with cooked rice and sauteed vegetables on the side.  And they’re easy to make.

As for the buns…

I don’t think so.  They are good… and the preparation is easy, but I don’t think it’s worth a $1 million dollars.  But then again, this is a very good example that food and taste is very subjective!  According to the judges of the Pillsbury Bake – Off Contest in 1994, this recipe – Chinese Roast Pork Buns is worth the $million dollar prize.

The recipe that I am posting here is my own adaptation of that $million dollar winning recipe.  I made a slight deviation from the original recipe by using red wine and olive oil, instead of using sherry and peanut oil, but I think the taste is still pretty close.  Also, I made extra barbecue sauce for the pork and I mixed about ½ cup of the remaining barbecue sauce with the filling below.

This recipe serves 4.  Two buns per person.

(I apologize.  But I don’t have step by step photos for this, yet…)

Prepare the Barbecued Pork Blade Steaks first.

I realized that I cooked four blade steaks but I only need 2 for these buns.  So I made sandwiches with the ones I did not need…

Barbecued Pork Steaks

4 large pork blade steaks – about 3 pounds

Sweet Barbecue Sauce:

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup ketchup

½ cup soy sauce

½ cup hoisen sauce

¼ cup red wine

¼ cup deli style mustard with horseradish

2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

 

Combine barbecue sauce ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.  Pour sauce into a large bowl.  Reserve 1/2 cup of this sauce to be used for the Barbecued Pork Steaks in a Bun…

 

Preheat oven to 400°F.

 

Line a heavy duty cookie sheet with foil.  Place a wire rack in the cookie sheet.

 

Wash pork steaks and pat dry with paper towels and place them on the wire rack.  Liberally brush both sides of each pork steak with the barbecue sauce.

 

Bake pork steaks in a preheated oven at 400°F for 30 minutes.

Brush pork steaks again, on both sides, with the remaining barbecue sauce.  Return to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes.

Remove pork steaks from the oven and cool enough to handle.  Chop pork steaks into small pieces, discarding the bones.  Serve pork steaks as sandwiches or use as filling for the Barbecued Pork in a Bun.

~~~

So once the pork steaks are ready…

Prepare the filling for the buns:

1 TBSP. olive oil or vegetable oil

½ medium onion – finely diced

1 – 8 ounces can water chestnuts, finely diced

1 TBSP. cornstarch

1 TBSP. red wine or dry sherry

1 TBSP. soy sauce

1 TBSP. hoisen sauce

½ cup chicken stock (broth)

2 Barbecued Pork Blade Steaks – chopped

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet.  Sauté the onions until translucent.  Add the water chestnuts and stir a few minutes.

In a small bowl, combine soy sauce and hoisen sauce and pour over the sautéed onions and water chestnuts, stirring to combine.  Stir in chicken stock or broth and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat.

In another small bowl, combine wine or sherry and cornstarch.  Gradually stir in cornstarch mixture into onions and water chestnuts, whisking constantly until thick.  Remove skillet from the heat and add chopped barbecued pork.  I mixed ½ cup of the remaining barbecue sauce to this mixture to make the filling more saucy.

As for the buns, you will need 1 can Pillsbury Buttermilk Biscuits…

Take the biscuits out of the can and separate them…

On a lightly floured board or clean counter, roll each biscuit, using a lightly floured rolling pin, into a 6 inch circle.

Scoop about 6 tablespoons of the barbecued pork and fill the center of the flattened biscuit.  Gather the edges towards the middle, twisting and pressing to seal.

Place buns seam side down on the greased cookie sheet.   Brush each bun with the glaze and bake in a preheated oven at 375°F for 18 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve warm.

Bun Glaze:

1 large egg

1 tsp. brown sugar

1 tsp. water

Beat all ingredients.  Brush each barbecued pork buns with this glaze before baking.

After 18 minutes or so… the buns are ready to serve.

 

Enjoy and Happy Cooking!

Tess Harris

 

Banana Dates Bread

Bananas are one of the most inexpensive, most accessible, potassium rich fruit.  My love for bananas is conditional.  There is certain ripeness that’s perfect for me.  That’s when they are golden yellow.  The stems are no longer dark green.  Sweet and lightly firm.  This is the stage before the bananas start to accumulate brown spots.  Once bananas have brown spots on them, they are over-ripe.  The flesh starts to taste mushy and no longer firm.  At this stage, bananas are no longer ideal to eat as they are.  However, at this over-ripe stage, with brown spots all over the peel, they are perfect for making breads, cakes, muffins and pancakes.  They would be perfect for this recipe.

You don’t need an electric mixer to make this banana bread.  You only need your hand, a spatula, a large bowl, and loaf pans.  And of course the ingredients…

You need the following:

Ripe bananas.

Peeled and roughly mashed.

Self-rising flour.

Two (2) sticks unsalted butter. Cut into small pieces.

Superfine sugar.

Dates.

Chopped dates.

Large eggs.

Beaten…

And honey.

Making the Banana Bread:

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Butter 6 mini-loaf pans.

Place loaf pans in a heavy duty baking sheet.

There is something cute about mini-banana breads.  Especially if I’m giving it as a gift.  For me it is a “small treasure.”  A way of saying:  I’m thinking of you.  And for that, here is a small token…

Or,

Two (2) regular loaf pans.

Please excuse my pans here.  I have since retired these pans.  Because my son said so.

Or you can use a combination of both pans.

Using a fine strainer, sift flour into a large mixing bowl.

Mix butter with the flour, by rubbing butter and flour with your finger tips.

(As you can see here.  The butter is soft and at room temperature.  But I found that it is easier and better to work with it cold and cut into small pieces…)

Until they are crumbly in texture.  Like this.

Add sugar.

And chopped dates.

Stir to combine.

Add mashed bananas.

Add beaten eggs.

Add honey.

Stir until mixture forms into a thick batter.

Spoon batter, equally, into the buttered loaf pans.

Bake in a preheated oven at 325°F for 50 – 60 minutes or until breads are golden brown.

Remove from the oven and cool breads in the pans.

Serve bread warm, in thick slices, with honey butter.

The RECIPE:

Banana Dates Bread

4 cups self-rising flour

1 cup or 2 sticks butter – cut into small pieces

2/3 cup + 2 TBSPS. Superfine sugar

1 ¼ cups chopped dates

4 very ripe bananas (with brown spots OK) – roughly mashed

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

4 TBSPs. honey

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Butter 6 mini loaf pans or 2 regular loaf pans.

Peel bananas and place them in a large Ziploc bag.  Zip the bag and mash the bananas with both your hands.  Set aside.

Using a fine strainer, sift flour into a large mixing bowl.

Dump the pieces of butter over the flour and blend with a pastry cutter until mixture resembles coarse sand.  (If you don’t have a pastry cutter, rub flour and butter with your finger tips.)

Add the sugar and chopped dates into the flour mixture.  Stir to combine.

Pour the mashed bananas, beaten eggs, and honey over the flour and dates mixture.

Stir to combine and mixture forms into a thick batter.

Spoon the mixture into the buttered loaf pans.  Filling each pan into three-fourths full.

Bake in a preheated oven at 325°F for 50 – 60 minutes.  Or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Remove breads from the oven and let them cool in the pans.

Slice breads into thick slices.  Serve warm or cold, with honey butter.

Tess’ Kitchen Secrets:

#1 –  To make Honey Butter.  Simply softened ½ stick of butter and mix it with 2 tablespoons honey.

#2 – This bread is excellent served with coffee and hot tea for breakfast or snacks.

#3– If you don’t like dates, you can use dried cranberries or apricots.

Enjoy and Happy Cooking!

Tess Harris

In The City

Somewhere out there on that horizon.

Out beyond the neon lights
I know there must be somethin’ better

But there’s nowhere else in sight
It’s survival in the city

When you live from day to day
City streets don’t have much pity

When you’re down, that’s where you’ll stay
In the city, oh, oh. In the city

~ The Eagles ~

 

Tok – Tok – Tok. Tok – Tok – Tok

“Hi… Is Elvie in?”  I opened the door to see who’s outside.

“Who you looking for…?”

“Elvie.  Is she in?”

“No.  She is not.  I think she was “bar fined” last night.”

The lady paused for a moment… a confused expression painted her face.  Then the lady said…

“Aww… OK.  I come back later.”

“Who was that?” My half-sister asked, with a towel wrapped around her head, and another towel wrapped around her body.  She just came out of the shower.

“I don’t know.  It was a lady.  She asked where Ate Elvie is.”

“What did you tell her?!”

“I told her – Ate Elvie was “bar fined” last night.  That’s why she’s not here!”

“Aahhh shit! Why did you tell her  that?”

“Because that’s where Ate Elvie is… right? I heard you talked to Ate Mary, you said ‘she was bar fined’ last night…”

“Jesus! You’re not supposed to tell people that!  Her family doesn’t know that she works in a bar.  They think she works as a teacher!”

“Oww. I hope she doesn’t get in trouble.  But I didn’t know.  I didn’t know I wasn’t supposed to tell anyone about it…”

“I didn’t know it was a secret.  You didn’t tell me it is supposed to be a secret.”

What’s bad about working in a bar? I wondered… What is a bar? My sister and her friends always talked about bars.  They met guys at the bars, and then they go bar hopping.  Or they go eat at restaurants.  Women find boyfriends there.  And then they get married and go to America or Australia.  But some women are too picky, so they get old and never marry.  And many bear  illegitimate children whose fathers they’ll never know.  Others get left behind by their boyfriends, who after three or four years of living together, the American boyfriend decide to not marry and off they go.  Nine out of ten, the girlfriend goes back to the bar, hoping she’s not too old to find another boyfriend. And the quest begins all over again.

Angeles City is one of the two sin cities in the Philippines, where Clark Air Force Base was located.  The largest American Air Force Base in the Pacific at that time.  The other is Olongapo City.  With Subic Bay, home to the U.S. Naval Base.  Both cities’ economies were dependent on the bases.  But when the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Naval Bases pulled out in 1991 after the eruption of Mount Pinatubo, both cities suffered tremendously, displacing hundreds and thousands of Filipino workers, both on and off the bases.

Both Angeles City and Olongapo City had a thriving night life.  They owe it to the U.S. Servicemen who were stationed there.  And the tourists from Australia and Europe.  It took at least five years before these cities start to recover.  But even if it recovers.  It will never be the same.  Like how it was when the U.S. Forces were there.

In a way… Angeles City is like Las Vegas.  Both are considered sin cities, full of promises for those who wish to improve their fortune and or gamble their lives.  While Las Vegas is famous for its gambling, entertainment, and its luxurious hotels which could make anyone dizzy and disoriented when they first step out of McCarran Airport, Angeles City is famous for its night life.  The bars and the girls.  This city is a haven for foreigners looking for a good time, and maybe lifetime companions.

Ate Elvie is Ilocana.  She came from Ilocos – the southern part of Luzon.  She has a degree in Elementary education.  She has smooth light skin, round face, and short wavy hair.  I liked Ate Elvie, especially her rugged and non-pretentious personality.   I never find out if she got in trouble with her family about the “bar fined” issue.  All I know is, since that morning when that lady was asking about her, they stopped talking around me about anything, especially about the bars and they guys they met over there.  And then we moved to another apartment a month later.  So I’ve never seen or heard of Ate Elvie again.  Years later, my sister told me that she’s in America, married to an American.

At 13, I wish they could take me to the bar.  The more they did not want to   talk to me about it, the more I wanted to know.  I wanted to see what all the excitements were all about.  I wanted to see what’s in the bar?  Why do they seemed animated and exited every time they talk about it?  It sounded like a fun place to be.  And then I always hear them giggling about the men they met.  But I remember Ate Elvie saying… “No – no – no.  You’re too young.  They don’t let young girls in the bar.”  I wish I was grown up like them so they could take me.  They seemed to be having so much fun.  I want to have fun too. What a silly girl I was.

Two weeks before the school was to begin.  Ate Elvie accompanied me and my sister to Angeles University Foundation to help me enroll in first year high school.  She said she knew somebody there, which will make my enrollment a lot easier.  So we went.  I remember getting into a long line, and waited for almost one hour.  Ate Elvie spoke to the girl she knew.  My sister paid and I was set to go to school in two weeks.  Except for the uniforms.  I  had to order my uniforms – a green and white checkered skirt, and a solid white jacket style top.

I was excited and terrified at the same time.  My new school is so big, with too many students.  Only in the Philippines where they can get away with it.  In the same school and inside the same campus, the building to the north was the elementary school.  The high school building was on the east side and five stories high and on the other side, in the west side was the building for college students.  Several guards are stationed at the gate to check for school IDs.  No IDs no entry.

I memorized my jeep route so I don’t get lost.  I had to take two different jeepneys to get to school.

This whole thing – being new in a big city, going to a big school, seeing people other than Filipinos, these were all dizzying to me; exciting and scary and the same time.  But this was my dream.  I wanted to live here.  No more planting rice in the mud; no more going to the farm to dig up sweet potatoes and cassavas.  No more carrying fire-woods on my head; no more basket full of foodstuff on my back while walking in the rain and muddy foot paths.  No more!  I got away!  Yaaayyy!

My first day of school came.  I sat on the front row, close to the window.  Our classroom was on the third floor.  There were about 30 students in my class.  And I was surprise to see that one third of the class were grown women – married and have children.  What are they doing here?  When I was in fourth grade, the oldest girl in my class was 19 years old.  She decided, after having gone to Manila to work as a house-girl, to go back home and finish her elementary education.

Now in my high school class… I found out that the older women in my class, most of them are married to Americans.  Amercano as we call them.

Gloria is 37 years old who’s married to a Master Sergeant.  She has three children.  Her oldest child – a daughter is 13, and going to middle school.  I didn’t know what middle school was back then.  Because in the Philippines, we don’t have middle school.  We have elementary school and high school.  No middle school.  So while her kids go to DOD (Department of Defense) school at Clark Air Force Base, she was going to first year high school at AUF.  And there was Maggie.  She was tall.  She was from Cebu she said.  She looked like she is mestiza – Filipino mixed with Spanish blood.  Her features proved it.  White skin, pointed nose, large round eyes with brown lashes, brown-reddish, wavy hair.  She has two children.  Both in elementary school.

And then there was Ate Nelly.  She wasn’t married but she was living with a steady boyfriend.  She told me she’s 27 years old.  She’s about 5 foot 7 inches tall.  Skinny with long black hair, down to her butt.  And then there was Grace.  She’s only 16.  She’s probably about 5 foot 2 with a gap on her upper teeth.  One day in class, she whispered to me… “I have a boyfriend.  American boyfriend.”  I know what that means.  I don’t know how I know.  But from then on, when a girl tells me they have an American boyfriend… that means, they are no longer virgins.  They are having sex with their American boyfriend.  I was only 13 so I never had a boyfriend. And Mirasol.  Very pretty girl.  She has flawless, white Asian skin, thick long, wavy hair down to her waistline.  She seemed always tired and sleepy when she came to school.  I found out that she worked as a dancer in one of the bars… Of course she didn’t announce it to the class.  Grace is friends with her and that’s how I found out…

I was keeping tab as to who is who and who is doing what.  I have always been a curious little girl.  I listen with full intent about people and their lives… I think it’s very interesting.  So different from mine.  That’s probably why I like to read biographies and memoirs of people.  Interesting famous people and sometimes bad people too.

My stay in Angeles City was short lived.  My sister or half sister.  I prefer to call her my sister instead of half-sister.  To me she’s my sister.  Though when I call her half-sister that is my urged to get even with her back when I was 13 and living with her.  She’d introduced me to her friends as her half – sister.  It’s true.  She’s my half – sister.  But it bothered me.  It hurt me.  Why couldn’t she just introduce me as her sister?  What’s the difference?  I looked up to her and loved her like she’s my full sister.  But that was then.  This is now.  Now in her early fifties, now I am her sister.  Yeah. Ah huh. It makes me wonder…

Like I said, my stay in Angeles City was short lived.  After two years, I was sent back home, to the province.  My sister married an Air Force guy who was stationed in Korea so she had to go with him.  I finished high school in the province.  And two years later, I was back in the city, Angeles City.

~~~

It was in Angeles City that i first tasted pizza.  It  was a small place off Fields Avenue.  That place was always crowded. Everyday.  Their pizzas or at least the ones I tasted were cut in squares.  I don’t even remember what kind of pizza that was.  All I remember is – it was good.

This pizza – if you can call it pizza.  But i will call it pizza… is quick to make.  I made this yesterday for my husband to eat at work.  I always try to think of a more convenient way for him to eat out there – when he’s working.  Something good and less messy.  So when i was at the grocery store the other day, i picked up a package of Pita Bread.  I didn’t know exactly what i was going to do with it, but told myself – “I’ll think of something.  And the result was amazing.

Pita Pizza Squares

(Serves 2 – 4)

4 Pita Bread – squares

1 TBSP. olive oil for brushing

2 Fresh Italian Sausage (I used Hot)

2 large cloves garlic – peeled and minced

1/2 tsp. fresh rosemary – chopped

8 slices Pepperoni – 2 slices per pita square

6 slices Provolone Cheese – 1½ slices per pita square

¼ medium onion – sliced

12 medium sizes Mezzetta Hot Chili Peppers – sliced (3 peppers for each pita square) – you can use olives if you want

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Heat a small skillet over medium heat.  Remove the casing from the Italian sausage.  Add the sausage into the heated skillet.  Crumble the sausage into bite size pieces.  Stirring until cook, about 6 minutes.  Add minced garlic and chopped rosemary.  Stir another minute.  Add the onion slices.  Stir and remove the pan from the heat.  Divide the sausage mixture into four portions.

Line a Baking sheet with aluminum.  Lightly brush with olive oil.

Place 4 pita bread squares in the pan.  Lightly brush each bread with olive oil.

Top each pita square with the sausage. One portion for each.

Add slices of hot chili peppers to the sausage toppings.

Tear each pepperoni slices into four pieces and also add to the sausage toppings.

Tear the provolone cheese and add to the toppings.

Bake Pita Pizza Squares in the preheated oven at 375°F for 10 minutes.  Remove pizza from the oven.

NOTE:  For crunchy pita squares, after 10 minutes in the oven, remove pizza from the baking sheet and slide each Pita Pizza Square on top of the oven rack and bake for another 4 – 5 minutes.  Be careful not to burn the cheese.

Tess’ Kitchen Secrets:

#1 – Placing the Pita Pizza Squares directly on the oven rack, makes the bottom crust crispy.  Which makes it easier to handle.  Of course you can serve it unsliced.

#2 – You can use different toppings if you like such as olives, Canadian bacon, Anchovies, etc.  Just try not to put too much toppings so you don’t weigh down the bread.

#3 – You can serve this as an appetizer or party food. Just slice each square into four little squares.

Enjoy and Happy Cooking!

Tess Harris

Buns of Sweet & Spicy Pork

Great food on the go…
Lunch at school or work…
Food while traveling be it a road trip or plane…

I really do not have a story to go with this recipe… other than these buns are one of my husband’s favorite food on the go, and one of my son’s favorite snack. The dough recipe itself can be used for making sweet dinner rolls, dinner rolls which is comparable to the taste of the dinner rolls served at Texas Roadhouse – a popular steakhouse here in the south. To make the dinner rolls simply follow the direction for making the dough, and instead of stuffing with the sweet n’ spicy pork, simply rise the 16 dough balls for 25 minutes and then bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with butter.

The Dough and the Buns:

1 packet Yeast (1/4 ounces)

1 TBSP. granulated sugar

1 cup + 3 TBSPs. lukewarm water (about 110°F)

3 cups high protein flour or bread flour

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 TBSP. Baking powder

1tsp. Kosher salt

1/8 cup vegetable oil (extra light olive oil)

1 TBSP. White vinegar

In a large measuring cup, combine water, sugar and yeast. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes or until mixture is bubbly on top. Using an electric mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using the paddle attachment, blend the flour mixture until well combined. Add the yeast mixture to the flour and blend on low speed for about 1 minute. In a small bowl, combine oil and vinegar and add them to the flour mixture. Blend until well combined and mixture becomes sticky. Remove the paddle attachment and replace it with the dough hook. (If the dough is too wet… gradually add 1 to 2 tablespoons flour.)

Knead the dough on medium high speed for 5 – 8 minutes or until the dough clings on the dough hook and away from the sides of the bowl.

Lightly flour your board or a clean kitchen counter. Knead the dough, by hand, for another 2 minutes. Form the dough into a smooth ball.

Grease a large bowl with 2 teaspoons vegetable oil, coating the bottom and sides of the bowl. Place the dough in the bowl and let rise until doubled, about 60 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven at 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or foil and lightly grease them. Set aside.

After the dough has doubled, lightly flour the board or clean kitchen counter. Punch the air bubbles and knead the dough for a few minutes and cut it into 16 portions. (The easiest way to do this is to first divide the dough into four portions, and then further divide each portion into four.) Form each portion into a smooth ball, being careful not to tear the dough. Cover the rest of the dough balls while you flatten and fill each one.

Flatten each dough ball with your hands, and then with a rolling pin until it measures about five inch circle. Fill each circle with about 2 tablespoons of the pork filling and a quarter slice of the hardboiled eggs. Gather the edges of the dough, pinch and twist to seal. Place filled buns, twisted side down in a lightly oiled parchment or foil lined baking sheet.

Cover the buns with waxed paper or kitchen towel. Let buns rise for 25 minutes.

Bake buns in a preheated oven at 350°F for 20 – 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove buns from baking sheet unto a wire cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature with or without dipping sauce.

Buns can be left at room temperature overnight, and then store in the refrigerator for a few days. If refrigerated, microwave for 10 seconds before serving.

Sweet n’ Spicy Pork Filling:

1¼ pound ground pork

2 TBSPs. Bacon dripping or vegetable oil

1/3 medium onion – minced

2 TBSPs. Ginger – peeled and minced

5 cloves garlic – minced

4 TBSPs. Hoisen sauce

4 TBSPs. Plum sauce

2 TBSPs. Soy sauce

1 TBSP. medium dry sherry or rice wine

1 tsps. Sesame oil

½ – 1 tsp. ground hot pepper

½ tsp. ground black pepper

¼ tsp. monosodium glutamate or msg (optional)

1/8 tsp. five spices or ground anise seeds or fennel seeds

3 stalks green onions – chopped

4 boiled eggs – quartered

Heat bacon drippings in a medium size sauté pan.

Saute onions until translucent. Stir in ginger and garlic. Sauté for about 2 minutes. Add the ground pork. Sauté for a few minutes, while breaking large pieces of meat with the spatula. Simmer over medium low heat for about 10 minutes or until the pork is cooked, stirring once or twice while simmering.

In a small bowl, combine hoisen sauce, plum sauce, soy sauce, medium dry sherry, sesame oil, hot and black peppers, msg and five spices. Add sauce to the pork and stir until pork and sauce are well combined. Simmer pork until sauce is bubbly for five minutes to ten minutes. Stir in the chopped green onions. Remove pan from heat. Pour off excess oil that may accumulate at the bottom of pan. Fill buns as directed above.

Dipping Sauce:

2 cups chicken stock

1 TBSP. ginger – peeled and minced

3 cloves garlic – minced

3 TBSPs. plum sauce

3 TBSPs. hoisen sauce

2 TBSPs. soy sauce

½ tsp. ground hot pepper (optional)

1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

1/8 tsp. five spices or ground anise seeds or fennel seeds

3 TBSPs. Cornstarch mixed with 2 TBSPs. water

In a small sauce pan, combine all ingredients except cornstarch. Bring to a boil over medium heat. While boiling, stir in the cornstarch mixture. Keep stirring until the soup is smooth and slightly thick. Remove pan from the heat. Serve as dipping sauce.

Enjoy and Happy Cooking!

Tess