Sticky Bao Buns

[ënagualí~ᏉLAᗪἇ ኔጡ።]

My sister made these for me on Xmas day festivities along with a wonderful cheese board & salads, as I was the only vegetarian  there,and honestly I could have left everything else and just eaten these all day long,they are delicious..they were just too yummy you cant stop eating them as they are so light,.. so passing the recipe on here..

Note:- You can buy pre-made boa buns from Asian food shops ready to just put in a steamer if your not into making the dough from scratch yourself..also you can add other roasted vege to these as well the choices are endless really, and they can be made with pulled port & other meats for those none vegetarians..

Sticky Bao Buns..

INGREDIENTS

Buns:
300g plain flour
2 tsp instant yeast
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
160-180ml warm water 
2 tbsp (30ml) oil

Filling:
2 spring onions, thinly sliced (around 80g)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 thumb ginger, minced

8-10 Shiitake mushrooms

 
4 tbsp (60g) hoisin sauce
2 tbsp (30g) soy sauce
2 tbsp (30g) rice vinegar 
2 tbsp + 1 tsp (35g) sesame oil
280g firm tofu, sliced or crumbled 
1/4 red cabbage & green cabbage thinly sliced (around 150g)
½ lime, juiced
1/2 cucumber, and or capsicum thinly sliced (around 150g)

1 carrot thinly sliced or grated
20g toasted peanuts, ground or chopped

a sprinkle sesame seeds
15g fresh coriander

mayonnaise and or satay sauce

Optional:- sweet pickled ginger, bean sprouts

METHOD

STEP 1

Start by making the dough. Combine flour, yeast, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl and stir to incorporate. Add 160ml water and 2 tbsp oil, and use your hands to bring the dough together.

STEP 2

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead for 6 minutes, until the dough is soft, smooth and bouncy. Add an extra tbsp of water if the dough feels stiff or dry. Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rise until doubled in size - around 1.5-2 hours.

STEP 3

Half way through the rising time, start preparing the filling. Combine the spring onions, garlic, ginger, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, vinegar and 1 tbsp sesame oil in a bowl. Add the tofu and stir it gently to coat it in the marinade. Let it sit for 20 minutes.

STEP 4

Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat and add the tofu along with 2 tbsp of the marinade (reserving 1 tbsp of it). Let cook, untouched for 6-7 minutes, until crisp on the heat-facing side. Flip the tofu and continue to cook for another 5-6 minutes until crispy on both sides. Remove from heat and brush lightly with the reserved marinade. 

STEP 5

Next, prepare the veg by tossing the red cabbage in lime juice and 1 tsp of sesame oil. Set aside with your sliced cucumber until plating.

STEP 6

When the dough is ready, transfer it to a lightly floured surface and press the air out of it. Split the dough into 2 pieces, and roll it into equal sized logs. Split them in half, then cut those in half - creating 8 pieces. Working one at a time, flatten each piece and roll it out to be an oval that’s around 1cm thick, brush with sesame oil and fold. 

STEP 7

Cut a piece of parchment paper into 8 pieces, and place each bao on a piece of parchment. Cover with a damp tea towel, and let rest for 30 more minutes - until puffed.

STEP 8

To cook the bao, set a steamer (either bamboo or regular) over a pan of gently simmering water. Steam two bao at a time - with their individual sheets of parchment and with 2cm of distance between them - for 8 minutes.

STEP 9

Let cool for a few minutes, then fill the bao with mushrooms, green onions, red cabbage, green cabbage, carrot, capsicum, sweet pickled ginger, thinly sliced cucumber and 2 slices of tofu or crumbed pieces. Top it with spring onion tops, crushed peanuts and coriander, bean sprouts, sesame seeds, mayonnaise or peanut saute sauces.

Warning these are toooo Delicious so make heaps!!

[Tara]

Literally setting up my kitchen to eat vegan tiny treats made in food rings with vegetables tofu and buckwheat groats

[ënagualí~ᏉLAᗪἇ ኔጡ።]

Sounds delicious,..so this buckwheat grouts & bulgar wheat with red cabbage, tomatoe, spring onion, capsicum & pickled beetroot, and as a burst of flavour I sometimes add pomegranate seeds if they are in season this I love just as much as Farro, couscous, chick peas & tabbouleh?... I'm not keen on Tofu however ..as its got no taste to it and the sensation is like eating a rubber eraser lol.