Bao Buns with Sticky Tofu
120
Serves:
This dish needs little introduction... light fluffy Chinese boa buns packed full of crunchy veg and sticky tofu! Perfect as a starter or eat as a main. You can also cheat with this dish and buy the boa buns ready-made... not as much fun though!
Ingredients:
Bao buns
(follow this recipe or buy frozen from Asian supermarkets... check they're vegan)
- 350g/2½ cups plain flour
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1½ tsp dried active yeast
- 50ml/¼ cup soya milk
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 200ml/¾ cup warm water
- 1½ tsp baking powder
Sticky tofu
- 800g firm tofu, drained and patted dry
- 2 onions, finely diced
- 3 fresh red chilli, finely sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp ginger, peeled and grated
- 100ml/½ cup soya sauce
- 2 tbsp sugar or vegan syrup (eg agave)
- Juice of half lime
Optional decoration/filling: fresh coriander, fresh chilli, finely sliced raddish, chopped peanuts, slices of cucumber and carrot, red cabbage, sweet chilli sauce
Method:
Bao Buns
- In a large mixing bowl add the flour and salt (don't add the baking powder at this stage as this comes later on in the method).
- In a jug, mix the oil, water, yeast, soya milk and sugar and set aside for a couple of minutes.
- Pour the liquids in the jug into the flour and mix together. Scoop everything together with your hands and then form into a ball.
- On a floured surface knead for around 10 minutes until you have a smooth, soft dough. You might need to add a little more flour or water depending on how sticky or dry your dough is.
- Put the dough back in the bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to rise until it has doubled in size (between 1-2 hours).
- When risen, tip it onto a flowered surface, flatten it out and then sprinkle over the baking powder. Knead it in until fully incorporated.
- Divide the dough into around 12 small balls and then roll into ovals around 0.5cm thick (you can use a pastry cutter if they're really wonky).
- Fold each dough circle in half over a chopstick or wooden skewer and then remove the stick.
- Cut out a piece of baking parchment to fit each bun. Place two circles at a time into a steamer basket (or two on each layer if you have a multi-layer steamer) and steam for around 8 minutes.
- Repeat until all the buns are steamed.
Sticky Tofu
- Cut the tofu into 12 slices (around 0.5cm thick) and then fry in oil until golden on both sides and has a thin crust. Set aside until later.
- Fry the onion, ginger and chilli until soft and golden. Add the garlic and cook for a further couple of minutes.
- Add the soya sauce, sugar and lime juice and stir through.
- Add the tofu back to the pan and thoroughly cover in the sauce.
Assembly
- Put a slice of sticky tofu into each bun and then fill with other optional extras.
- Serve with sweet chilli sauce and enjoy.
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