A baked, flaky Chinese puff-pastry bun filled with savoury-sweet char siew. A Malaysian Chinese invention that converted the steamed char siew bao into a baked flaky pastry, exclusively a Malaysian-Chinese creation tied to Seremban.
Seremban siew pau is a Malaysian Chinese invention that converted the steamed char siew bao (barbecue pork bun) into a baked, flaky puff pastry. Pleated like a pao but oven-baked and glossy, with a savoury-sweet char siew filling, it is exclusively a Malaysian-Chinese creation, iconically tied to Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, where famed shops like Empayar Siew Pau and Asia Siew Pau sell them by the thousand. It is a roadside-stop and souvenir staple.
A shatteringly crisp, flaky, glossy pastry giving way to a sticky, savoury-sweet char siew filling, the pastry buttery and layered. Eaten warm, it is one of the most moreish Malaysian-Chinese snacks.
The pastry uses the Chinese flaky-pastry method: an oil dough (flour and lard) wrapped in a water dough (flour, water, lard), rolled, folded and rolled again to build many thin, alternating layers that puff and separate in the oven. The char siew filling is diced pork cooked with soy, sugar and a little five-spice, bound with cornstarch to a glossy, clingy consistency. The buns are pleated shut, glazed with egg, and baked until deep golden and flaky.
Variations
A curry-chicken version uses a curry filling. Some bakers add a black-pepper char siew.
On the Palate
Where Seremban Siew Pau sits in the Malaysian flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 12How it's made
6 steps · 1 hour 30 min
- 18 min
Make the water dough: mix 250g flour, 50g lard, 120ml water and a pinch of salt; knead, rest 30 minutes.
- 25 min
Make the oil dough: rub 150g flour into 80g lard to a smooth paste.
- 38 min
Wrap the oil dough in the water dough, roll out, fold in three, and roll again; rest 20 minutes, then divide into 12.
Watch outRoll, fold in three and roll again to build the layers — mash the two doughs together and it bakes dense instead of flaky.
- 410 min
For the filling: dice 300g char siew; fry with 1 tbsp oil, 2 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp dark soy and a splash of cornstarch water until glossy; cool.
Watch outCook the char siew filling with cornstarch water until glossy and clingy — a runny filling soaks the pastry and blows the seam open.
- 510 min
Roll each dough piece into a round, place filling in the centre, and pleat shut; place seal-down on a tray.
- 612 min
Glaze with beaten egg, bake at 200C for 20 minutes until deep golden and flaky; serve warm.
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