Vegan Bao Buns with Pulled Mushrooms and Red Cabbage

Prep 40 min·Cook 20 min·Total 135 min·4 servings·VEGAN·470 kcal

Vegan bao buns with pulled mushrooms, red cabbage, carrots and sprouts on baking paper next to a bowl of BBQ sauce

Ingredients

For the bao buns

250 gr (8.8 oz.) all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp sugar
½ tsp salt
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp dry yeast
130 ml (1/2 cup) lukewarm water
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
vegetable oil for brushing

For the pulled mushrooms

400 gr (14 oz.) oyster mushrooms (or king oyster mushrooms)
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp vegan BBQ sauce
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp maple syrup (or agave syrup)
salt and pepper (to taste)

To fill

¼ small red cabbage
2 carrots
2 spring onions
1 handful sprouts
vegan mayonnaise (to taste)
1 Tbsp sesame seeds

Equipment: steamer or pot with a steamer insert, baking paper, rolling pin, mixing bowl, large frying pan, pastry brush

Instructions

Make the dough

1.Mix the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and dry yeast in a bowl.
2.Add the lukewarm water and 1 Tbsp of oil and knead everything into a smooth dough.
3.Knead the dough for 5 minutes until it is soft and elastic.
4.Cover the bowl and let the dough rise for 1 hour until it has doubled in size.

Shape the bao buns

1.Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces on a floured surface.
2.Shape each piece into a ball, press it flat and roll it into an oval about 10 cm (4 inches) long.
3.Brush the ovals thinly with oil, lay a small piece of baking paper on one half and fold the dough over in the middle.
4.Set the buns on small squares of baking paper, cover them and let them rest for 15 minutes.

Steam

1.Bring water to a boil in the steamer or in a pot with a steamer insert.
2.Place the buns inside with a little space between them, cover and steam for 10 minutes until soft and fluffy. Depending on the size of your insert, work in 2 batches.

Pulled mushrooms

1.Pull the mushrooms into rough strips with your fingers or 2 forks so they look like shredded meat.
2.Stir the BBQ sauce, soy sauce, paprika and maple syrup together in a small bowl.
3.Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and fry the mushrooms for about 10 minutes until crisp and caramelized.
4.Add the sauce, fry for another 2 to 3 minutes until it coats the mushrooms, and season with salt and pepper.

Fill and serve

1.Cut the red cabbage into fine strips, the carrots into thin sticks and the spring onions into fine rings.
2.Open the bao buns, remove the baking paper and fill them with pulled mushrooms, red cabbage, carrots and sprouts.
3.Garnish with spring onions, add a dollop of vegan mayo and a little BBQ sauce if you like, and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Notes

Tip from my kitchen: fry the mushrooms in 2 batches if your pan is small. Too many mushrooms at once release water and will not turn crisp. I freeze leftover bao buns after steaming and steam them again straight from the freezer. Instead of mushrooms, pulled jackfruit or crispy fried tofu work too. If you like it hotter, stir a little sriracha into the vegan mayo.

Nutrition per serving: 470 kcal · 11 g protein

MY NOTES

Ten more easy vegan dinners, free: frei-style.com/ebook