What is a Chinese meat pie?
Chinese meat pie, or "Xian bing," is a popular savory pastry in Chinese cuisine. It is known for its delicious combination of moist, savory filling, aromatic flavors, and contrasting textures. Chinese meat pie typically consists of a flavorful filling encased in a soft, slightly crispy bread-like dough. The dough is made from a simple mixture of flour, water, and sometimes a touch of sesame oil to achieve the desired texture. Chinese meat pie is a popular street food snack or a satisfying meal.
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What is Chinese meat pie called?
Chinese meat pie is typically known as "Xian Bing" (馅饼) in Mandarin. "Xian" (馅) refers to the filling, which is usually a mixture of meat and vegetables, while "Bing" (饼) means pie or pastry. Chinese meat pie is a type of pan-fried meat pie with a crispy bottom and juicy beef inside.
Ingredients and Variations
The ingredients for Chinese meat pies can vary based on regional preferences and individual variations. However, here are the ingredients I used in this recipe:
Dough
All-purpose flour: It is the main ingredient for the dough.
Warm water: Warm water makes the dough softer and more manageable. It makes the dough easier to knead, roll, and shape, as it loosens the gluten and makes it more flexible. It also aids in achieving a more even distribution of moisture throughout the dough, which can contribute to a better final texture and consistency of the meat pies. I use it to bind the dough and achieve the desired consistency. The water should be warm to the touch.
Filling ingredients
Ground beef: Ground beef and pork are popular fillings for a Chinese meat pie. They have a rich and savory flavor that adds depth to the pie filling. You can also substitute it with your favorite ground meat.
Green onions/spring onions: They add fragrance, flavor, and texture to the meat pie.
Seasoning: I used a few Asian seasonings to enhance the taste of the filling. Such as light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing cooking wine, oyster sauce, Chinese five spice powder, salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar. I brushed some sesame oil on the dough pieces before adding the filling.
Feel free to add carrots, mushrooms, or your favorite vegetables for additional texture and flavor.
How to make Chinese meat pie
Here's a step-by-step guide to making Chinese meat pies: In a large mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour and water. Mix until the dough is formed. Knead the dough for about 5-7 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. Cover the dough with a damp cloth or plastic wrap (cling film) and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
In another large bowl, add the ground beef with light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, Chinese five spice powder, salt, black pepper, and a pinch of sugar.
Folding techniques
Set the rested dough on a floured working surface. Divide the dough into small equal pieces, roughly a little smaller than the size of a golf ball. Roll each piece into an oval shape using a rolling pin. Use your hands to form the oval shapes into rectangles that are about 5-6 inches long and 3 inches wide.
Brush all the dough pieces with sesame oil first before adding the filling. (The folding techniques vary. While some people may first fold it into a "giant dumpling" shape and then roll it out flat to a pie shape. Use whatever method is more straightforward for you!)
Place a spoonful of the meat filling in the center of the dough. Spread the filling out to fully cover the rectangle-shaped dough. Cover another piece of rectangle shape dough with green onion pieces. Lay the meat-filled dough piece on top of the green onions-filled piece into a "Cross" shape. Close each end of the dough over to create one final rectangle shape. Pinch and seal the edge of the dough together, ensuring the filling is completely enclosed.
Brush some vegetable oil in a non-stick skillet or pan over medium heat. Place the assembled meat pie in the hot pan, cooking one pie at a time, or leave some space between each pie if you cook a few at the same time. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side until the bottom turns golden brown and crispy. Flip the pie and cook the other side until it is golden brown and crisp as well, about another 3-4 minutes.
Remove the meat pie from the skillet and drain the excess oil on a paper towel. (If you prefer to bake them instead of pan fry: You can preheat the oven to 350 F, then place the assembled meat pies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until the pies are cooked and golden brown. Serve and enjoy your delicious homemade Chinese meat pies!
Serving suggestions
Chinese meat pies can be served individually as a snack or as part of a meal. You can dip the Chinese meat pie in sauces like soy sauce or chili oil or pair it with pickled vegetables.
Other side dishes and sauces that pair well with Chinese meat pies:
Chinese Millet Porridge Recipe
Stir Fry Taiwanese Spinach With Garlic
Tips for Perfect Chinese Meat Pies
To make perfect Chinese meat pies, here are some pro tips to consider:
- Dough Consistency: The dough should be smooth, elastic, and not too sticky. Adjust the amount of water or flour as needed during the dough-making process to ensure a workable texture.
- Resting time for the dough: The rest helps relax the gluten and makes the dough easier to roll out. Aim for a resting time of at least 30 minutes.
- Taste the beef filling: Taste the filling mixture before assembling the pies and adjust the seasonings accordingly.
- Filling amount: Make sure you create an even layer of meat filling over the dough. Remember not to add too much meat filling to the dough. Overfilling can make it resulting in leakage during cooking.
- The thickness of the dough: Use a rolling pin to achieve an even thickness. This ensures even cooking and prevent some part from being undercooked or overcooked.
By following these pro tips, you can enhance your Chinese meat pies' overall quality and taste.
Store and reheating
If you have any leftover Chinese beef meat pies you'd like to store, let them cool completely at room temperature. Then, place them in an airtight container or wrap them tightly in plastic wrap. You can refrigerate Chinese meat pies for up to 3 days. Following the same process of cooling and packaging them in a freezer-safe bag. You can freeze meat pies for up to 2-3 months. Freezing them individually is a good idea to prevent them from sticking together.
Reheating: When you're ready to enjoy the stored or frozen meat pies, you can reheat them by pan frying: heat a small amount of oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Place the meat pies in the pan and cook for a few minutes until they are heated through. Or you can reheat mean pies by oven: Place the meat pies on a baking sheet or in an oven-safe dish. Bake them for about 15-20 minutes or until they are heated, and the dough becomes crispy.
Remember, the reheating times may vary depending on the size and thickness of the meat pies, so adjust accordingly.
Conclusion
Chinese meat pie has a delightful combination of tender meat and a slightly crispy crust. Give it a try, and you will love it. I hope you enjoyed this post. Happy cooking!
Traditional Chinese Meat Pie With Beef (Xian Bing)
Ingredients
Dough:
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups warm water
Meat filling:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 8 stalks green onions thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing cooking wine
- ½ teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- salt and white pepper to taste
- pinch of sugar
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil for cooking
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour and water. Mix until the dough is formed. Knead the dough for about 5-7 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. Cover the dough with a damp cloth or plastic wrap (cling film) and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
- In another large bowl, add the ground beef with light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, Chinese five spice powder, salt, black pepper, and a pinch of sugar.
- Set the rested dough on a floured working surface. Divide the dough into small equal pieces, roughly a little smaller than the size of a golf ball. Roll each piece into an oval shape using a rolling pin. Use your hands to form the oval shapes into rectangles that are about 5-6 inches long and 3 inches wide.
- Brush all the dough pieces with sesame oil first before adding the filling. (The folding techniques vary. While some people may first fold it into a "giant dumpling" shape and then roll it out flat to a pie shape. Use whatever method is more straightforward for you!)
- Place a spoonful of the meat filling in the center of the dough. Spread the filling out to fully cover the rectangle-shaped dough. Cover another piece of rectangle shape dough with green onion pieces. Lay the meat-filled dough piece on top of the green onions-filled piece into a "Cross" shape. Close each end of the dough over to create one final rectangle shape. Pinch and seal the edge of the dough together, ensuring the filling is completely enclosed.
- Brush some vegetable oil in a non-stick skillet or pan over medium heat. Place the assembled meat pie in the hot pan, cooking one pie at a time, or leave some space between each pie if you cook a few at the same time. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side until the bottom turns golden brown and crispy. Flip the pie and cook the other side until it is golden brown and crisp as well, about another 3-4 minutes. Remove the meat pie from the skillet and drain the excess oil on a paper towel. (If you prefer to bake them instead of pan fry: You can preheat the oven to 350 F, then place the assembled meat pies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until the pies are cooked and golden brown.
- Serve and enjoy your delicious homemade Chinese meat pies!
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