Chicken Stuffed Steam Buns

For the chicken Filling:

chopped chicken (thighs preferable)	1 pound
chopped scallions	¼ cup
low sodium soy sauce	¼ cup
Chinese 5 spice	1 tablespoon
vegetable oil	1 tablespoon
brown sugar	2 tablespoons

For the Steam Buns:

lukewarm water	1 3/4 cup
instant yeast	2 teaspoons
sugar	1/3 cup
all purpose flour	3 ½ cups
salt	1 teaspoon
shortening	3 tablespoons

Method of prep:

Make the bread dough first by placing water in a nonreactive bowl and sprinkling with yeast and sugar. Stir and set aside until foamy. In a separate bowl, combine flour and salt. Add yeast mixture and shortening. Mix well and knead until the dough is elastic (about 5 minutes). Return dough to bowl and cover and rest for 1 hour.

While the dough is resting, make the chicken filling. Bring a skillet to smoke point, add oil, Chinese 5 spice and chicken. Brown chickn until it is cooked thoroughly. Add soy sauce, scallions and brown sugar. Cook until the liquid is absorbed. Set aside to cool.

Punch down dough and scale into 1 ¼ oz balls. Fill balls with about a tablespoon of pork mixture. Place each ball on a small piece of parchment and allow to proof.

Place buns in bamboo steamer over boiling water and steam for 20 minutes. Serve immediately.