Dhruv Baker’s char siu puffs

By: Dhruv Baker

These barbecued pork pastries, also known as char siu puffs, are great for popping in the freezer and then baking when you fancy a snack.

Makes 30
Takes 45 minutes to make, 1 hour 30 minutes to cook, plus cooling and overnight marinating

These barbecued pork pastries, also known as char siu puffs, are great for popping in the freezer and then baking when you fancy a snack.

Ingredients

700g piece of pork belly (skin removed – you can do this yourself or ask your butcher. Make sure you leave about 1.5cm fat)
Plain flour for dusting
500g ready-made puff pastry
1 large free-range egg, beaten
2 large free-range egg yolks, beaten
3 tsp sesame seeds

For the char siu marinade

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Gently heat the marinade ingredients in a small saucepan until the sugar has dissolved and everything is well combined.
Score the pork fat in a criss-cross pattern, then spoon half the marinade all over the pork, reserving the remaining marinade. Cover the pork and marinate in the fridge overnight or for up to 24 hours, turning occasionally.
Preheat the oven to 220°C/fan200°C/gas 7. Put the pork on a rack in a tray with about 2.5cm water in it and cook for 20 minutes.

Turn the meat, spoon over a little more marinade, then reduce the heat to 180°C/fan160°C/gas 4. Cook the pork for 40 minutes more.
Remove the pork from the oven and leave to cool. Once cooled, cut into 2.5cm slices, then chop each slice into small pieces. Stir 3-4 tbsp of the reserved marinade through the chopped pork. Chill well to firm up the filling.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry to 3mm thick, then cut into 6cm squares.
Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6. Place 1 heaped tsp filling in the centre of each square, then fold diagonally to form a pastry triangle. Brush the inside edges of the pastry with the beaten egg, then seal all the way round with a fork. Pierce a small hole in the top of each puff to allow steam to escape.
Brush all over with the beaten egg yolks, then top with sesame seeds.
Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden. Serve with a bowl of soy sauce and rice vinegar with a green chilli (optional) chopped into it.

Nutrition: per serving

Shred any leftover pork mixture, then mix with unused marinade. Warm through and serve with noodles and stir-fried greens.
To freeze: make up to the end of step 7, then open-freeze until solid. Transfer to a lined container and keep for up to 1 month. To serve, follow steps 8 and 9, adding 8-10 minutes more to the cooking time.
Try an off-dry white, such as medium German Riesling or Vouvray demi-sec from France.