Earlier this month, my Chinese friends ushered in the Year of the Rat. It’s supposed to be a time of hard work, activity, and renewal.
In terms of hard work and activity, it makes this year no different from any, but I’m eager to see where the renewal will come, as change is the only certainty in life.
The Chinese community in the Caribbean is small, but their achievements are quite significant and certainly, the region’s culture would be poorer without them.
In food terms, Chinese food in the Caribbean - particularly in Trinidad and Cuba - has become ‘creolised’ and I can safely say that chow har lok in Port of Spain tastes totally different (or better) from chow har lok in London, even though the same basic ingredients are used.
My most vivid early memories of Chinese food are of the goodies that came from Edwin Allum’s lunchkit in primary school. His family ran the Honeycomb Restaurant in Port of Spain and their Chinese fried chicken was amazing.
A Chinese delicacy that’s widely loved in Trinidad is pow, steamed stuffed buns known more commonly in China as bau. I love the delicate slightly sweet buns that when bitten into, reveal a delicious filling of fragrant and succulent pork or chicken.
As a belated Chinese New Year celebration, I made some pows with the help of the ever useful Bonnie who was very enthusiastic about giving this dish a shot. I used a recipe from Ramin Ganeshram’s Sweet Hands, and that recipe comes from the folks at Shay Shay Tien, one of the more popular Chinese restaurants in Port of Spain.
Although making pow is a bit time consuming, it’s not difficult and definitely worth the effort. I’d strongly recommend having a go.
Please note this recipe uses American measurements.

Shay Shay Tien’s Pow

Filling
2 tsp salt
1 star anise pod
¾ pound boneless pork butt or shoulder
2 tbsp vegetable oil
½ onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1½ tsp dark brown sugar
½ tsp ground anise
1 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tbsp black bean sauce
1 tsp red food colouring

Dough
2½ tsp yeast
½ cup plus 3 tbsp, plus ½ tsp sugar
½ cup warm water
3 cups all purpose flour
1 ¼ tsp baking powder
1 egg white
1 tbsp shortening melted with 1 tbsp hot water
20 (5 inch) squares of parchment paper

Method
To make the filling
1. Bring 3 cups of water, the salt and star anise to a boil in a large pot. Add the pork and simmer for 25 minutes.
2. Remove the pork, cool and cut into ¼ inch cubes. Discard the star anise.
3. Heat the canola in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Add the onion and the garlic, and fry until dark brown. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and discard. Reduce the heat to medium. 4. Add the brown sugar to the oil and stirring constantly, let it caramelise for 1-2 minutes. Add the pork and stir well.
5. Brown the pork on all sides, add ground anise, hoisin sauce and black bean sauce. Stir very well and cook until nearly dry.
6. Add the red food colouring and mix well so that all the pieces of pork are evenly coloured. Cook until totally dry. Remove the heat and cool completely. The meat may be made up one day ahead and stored in the refrigerator.

To make the dough
1. Place the yeast and ½ tsp of the sugar in a deep bowl and add the warm water. Set aside until foamy.
2. Combine the flour, the baking powder and remaining sugar in a bowl. Add the yeast mixture, egg white and melted shortening mixture. Mix at high speed for 4 minutes, then at the lowest setting for 6 minutes. The dough should be smooth and highly elastic.
3. Test the dough by pressing it with your finger – it should spring back without leaving a mark.
4. Flour a clean work surface. Cut the dough into equal pieces. Roll the pieces of dough into long ropes about 3 inches in diameter.
5. Cut each rope in five pieces. Knead each piece for 30 seconds and form into a ball. Set the dough balls aside on a floured surface.

To make the pow
1. Flatten one ball of dough into a 3 inch disc. Place a heaping tablespoon of the pork mixture in the middle of the disc.
2. Gently pull the edges of the disc around the filling and pinch together to form a sac. Gently twist the edges together and push down into the dough ball. The pow should be smooth, round balls.
3. Place the filled pow, seam side down on a square of waxed paper in a bamboo steamer insert. Repeat until all the pow are filled. Do not crowd the steamer tray; allow 2 inches of space around each pow.
4. If you don’t have a bamboo steamer with more than one tray, leave the pow to rise on waxed paper on a flat surface. Allow to rise until the diameter has doubled. If your kitchen is warm, this will occur by the time all the pow are separated and stuffed. If not, cover the steamers with damp towels and set aside in a warm place.
5. Set the steamer in a wide pot with enough water to rise one quarter of the way up the bottom tray. Be careful the water doesn’t seep into the tray and touch the pow.
6. Bring the water to a simmer and steam the pow for 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Pow can be reheated in the microwave for 45 on high or in a 350F oven for 20 mins.