Cha Siu Baau

During our first combine care group meeting at Lynn’s house, Penny made Cha Siu Baau for that night's refreshment. The Baau tasted so good that we all requested Penny to make again for the next combine care group meeting.

On the second combine care group meeting, it was disappointing that the dough of the Baau was not properly raised and the Cha Siu Baau looked odd. However, despite of this little disappointment, we managed to finish the Baau because the Cha Siu and the lean meat inside were delicious. If you don't believe in me, you can always ask Richard and Owen. They can tell you; and in the mouth of two or three, it will be so!

We had a postmortem when we went home from that meeting and Penny found out that she did not knead the dough long enough. She actually rushed through the process as time was constrained due to the fact that she made these Baau after work and had to be on time for the meeting that evening.

We ran through the process last night and have the dough thoroughly kneaded. The outcome was perfect. It was even better than the first time and it was the best Cha Siu Baau she ever made.

Dough that has been thoroughly kneaded

Multitudes of dough rolled into shape

The inner beauties of the Baau

Ready made Baau waiting for their turn to the steamer

Think straight. Lean meat Baau on the left and Cha Siu on the right

Yummy yummy...

After saying all this, I want you to know that, the process of the making bread or the dough of the Baau signifies the process of the sufferings of our Lord Jesus. We need to knead the dough thoroughly to have a good Baau and Jesus had went through the sufferings thoroughly to give us good life. He did not spare Himself from any of our sufferings that would be leave behind for us to suffer on this earth. He had absorbed them all and He said, "It's finished!" If the kneading of the dough is not thorough, the Baau will not be nice. He went through the process of our sufferings thoroughly so that we can receive the everlasting peace and life that He died to give us.

Isaiah 53: 4~5 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered Him stricken by God, smitten by Him, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed.

We need to grind wheat to get flour. We have to mix the flour with water for kneading until we get dough. When the Baau is made, we need to put them into the steamer to steam. A delicious Cha Siu Baau is then ready. This whole process, is signifying the sufferings of our Lord in three stages. First, the grinding of flour, He was at the Mount of Olive praying, where His sweat turn into blood. Secondly, the kneading of the flour to obtain dough, He was smitten, struck and pierced by the Roman soldiers. Thirdly, the Baau has to be steamed in high temperature, He was offered as a scarify and was judged on the cross.

The Baau making process is just a normal event in my everyday life. Nobody has ever told me that, truth pointing to the cross can also be found in the things I do in my everyday life. How many of such incidients have rubbed over my shoulder and passed me by and I am not sensitive enough to benefit from it.

God has open up a new revelation in the area of eating in my life. Eating seems meaningful now when Christ and His finished work can be magnified and found in many types of our food.

This fresh understanding of the grace of our Lord came after I have watched Louie Giglio preached on “How great is our God”. This message has blown me up and the revelation of the grace of our Lord just does not stop here….