Fried Pies
breads, chinese, loo, pies
2 1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup boiling water
1/4 cup cold water
1 filling:
3/4 lb ground pork
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 dash cornstarch
2 tablespoon scallion greens, chopped
1 teaspoon sour pickle relish
1 for frying
6 tablespoon oil
Mix hot water with flour. Add cold water and knead until smooth. Let rest a few minutes. If the dough is not the right consistency, correct with a little flour or a little cold water. Roll dough out into a long thin baguette and divide into 18 to 24 pieces. Make each into a 3" circle by pressing with the palm of your hand against a work board, twisting just a little with each press. Place 1 portion of filling (a little over 1 T) on each circle, bring up the sides, seal the edges, and roll carefully into a ball. Flatten each ball into a hamburger shape.
Heat oil in a flat-bottomed pan. Fry cakes 2 - 3 min on each side or until golden. Drain on paper towels and serve hot.
Filling: Just about any pie filling, sweet or savory, can go into these, just so you make sure the stuff is not too wet - lots of juice or gravy will prevent these pies from browning. If you use a filling that has not been precooked, cook for at least 3 min on a side.
Wei-Chuan suggests 1 1/2 cans of Wei-Chuan brand pickled cucumbers with meat. Alternatives include just about all bao fillings (see the many roast pork and sweet bean filling recipes that are floating around the net), taco filling (with or without cheese), etc. etc.
Michael Loo
Yield: 18 - 24