How to make Chinese barbecued pork pasties – these char siu soh are simple and delicious
- These pasties are light and fluffy, and loved by adults and children
- They make great snacks and are perfect for packed lunches
Char siu soh – Chinese puff pastry wrapped around a minced char siu filling – is a great addition to bento boxes, school lunches and picnics. The pastry is flaky and delicate, but sturdy enough to be picked up and eaten out of the hand, and the sweet-savoury flavour appeals to children and adults alike.
Char siu soh (Chinese barbecued pork pastries)
Chinese puff pastry is similar to French puff pastry, but traditionally made with lard instead of butter, which makes the Chinese version even flakier. Unfortunately, many chefs now substitute shortening.
You can use either commercial or home-made lard in the pastry dough. The commercial lard, sold in supermarkets, is hydrogenated and therefore firmer at room temperature than home-made lard. Pastry dough made with home-made lard will be softer than that made with the commercial stuff, but not so soft that it’s difficult to handle.
Lard is easy to make: cut pork fat (start with at least a kilo) into small cubes and put them into a heavy pan with about 60ml of water. Heat over a medium flame until the water simmers, then turn the heat to very low and cook until the fat renders out, stirring often.
As the liquid fat renders out, ladle it through a fine sieve into clean jars or containers – it will solidify when chilled and keeps for at least six months in the fridge.
Of course, you can use commercial puff pastry instead of making your own, although the char siu soh won’t be quite as delicious. You will need about 800 grams of commercial puff pastry.
