Spicy Pickled Veggie Bao Buns

Fun-sized deliciousness.

Dough before rising for 1.5 hours. 

Buns after steaming.

Final product.

Bao Buns
Ingredients:

• 1 packet fast rising yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour + 1.5 cup all purpose flour for later
• 1/4 cup warm water + 1/2 cup water for later
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

In a bowl, combine the yeast, sugar, 1/4 cup flour, and 1/4 cup warm water. Let sit for 30 minutes.

Mix in 1/2 cup warm water, the 1.5 cup flour, salt, 2 tbsp sugar, and vegetable oil. Knead until the dough is smooth. In a greased bowl, let rise until tripled in size (approximately 1.5 hours. If using active dry yeast instead, about 3 hours).

Punch dough. Pinch off palm-sized amounts of dough, and shape into a ball. Fold in half, and place a piece of parchment paper in between the fold.

Bring water to a boil in a steamer pot, and on the greased steamer basket, place as many steamed buns as possible. Steam for 15 minutes.

Pickled Carrots and Cucumbers
Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup matchstick cut carrot
• 1/4 cup matchstick cut cucumber
• 1 part apple cider vinegar
• 1 part rice vinegar

In a jar, place the carrots and cucumbers, and fill up halfway with one vinegar, and then fill the rest of the jar with the second vinegar. Marinate for 1 hour, and drain before serving.

Glaze

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp red wine
• 2 and 1/3 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest
• 1.5 tsp soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper
• 1 tbsp cornstarch

Over medium heat, combine all ingredients except cornstarch, and when the sauce is warm, stir in cornstarch so glaze becomes thick. 

Tofu

Ingredients:

• 1/2 brick frozen tofu, thawed
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sesame oil

Slice tofu into strips, and fry in salt and sesame oil until golden brown.

Bao Bun Assemblage

Additional ingredients:

• 1/4 cup spicy yum yum sauce
• 1/4 cup sliced scallions

Place a spoonful of the glaze and spicy yum yum sauce in the fold of each bun, and place some pickled vegetables and tofu strips on top. Add scallions, and top with more sauce if desired.