Asian-Style Steamed Buns

Ingredients

For the bun dough

• 250 g plain flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1½ teaspoons instant yeast
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 150 ml lukewarm water

For the bun filling

• ½ pak choi
• 1 carrot
• ½ red pepper
• handful mushrooms
• 2 spring onions
• 100 g smoked tofu
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon garlic puree
• 1 tablespoon ginger puree
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Optional

• chilli oil or soy sauce for dipping

Method

First make the dough. Combine the yeast, sugar and water together, leave until bubbles form (around 10 minutes) and add in the remaining dough ingredients. Once a dough ball is formed, knead for around 10 minutes. Set aside to prove and double in size in a clean, slightly oiled bowl.

Make the filling by grating 1 carrot, finely chop the red pepper, spring onions, mushrooms and pak choi. Heat a non-stick pan, add in sesame oil, and fry all of the veggies apart from the pak choi. Crumble in the smoked tofu and add in the soy sauce, garlic and ginger. Add in the pak choi and cook for a further 2 minutes. Leave the filling to cool.

Once the dough has proved and doubled in size, divide into 8-10 balls. Roll out on a board and stretch slightly. Spoon the filling into the middle of the dough, fold in the sides, leaving no gaps and pinch the middle together to seal. Place onto baking paper sqaures to prevent sticking.

If using a bamboo or metal steamer, wait until the pan of water is boiling before you steam the buns. Steam for 15-20 minutes or until the buns have puffed up and spring back when touched.

If pan-steaming, use a non-stick frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil, add the buns, fry for 2 minutes bottom side down, add ½ cup water to the pan carefully and quickly cover with a pan lid. Steam for 10 minutes or until the buns are fluffy and bounce back to the touch.

If cooking in the microwave, place on a microwaveable plate, on baking paper squares, cook for 1 minute on high, stop, then for a further minute, and continue this for a total of 5 minutes cooking time.

Serve with chilli oil or soy sauce for dipping.