Mix hot water with flour. Add cold water and knead until smooth. Let
rest a few minutes. If the dough is not the right consistency,
correct with a little flour or a little cold water. Roll dough out
into a long thin baguette and divide into 18 to 24 pieces. Make each
into a 3" circle by pressing with the palm of your hand against a
work board, twisting just a little with each press. Place 1 portion
of filling (a little over 1 tb) on each circle, bring up the sides,
seal the edges, and roll carefully into a ball. Flatten each ball
into a hamburger shape.
Heat oil in a flat-bottomed pan. Fry cakes 2 - 3 minutes on each
side or until golden. Drain on paper towels and serve hot.
Filling: Just about any pie filling, sweet or savory, can go into
these, just so you make sure the stuff is not too wet - lots of juice
or gravy will prevent these pies from browning. If you use a filling
that has not been precooked, cook for at least 3 minutes on a side.
Wei-Chuan suggests 1 1/2 cans of Wei-Chuan brand pickled cucumbers
with meat. Alternatives include just about all bao fillings (see the
many roast pork and sweet bean filling recipes that are floating
around the net), taco filling (with or without cheese), etc.
