Thin slices brown much better when their surface is dry and the pan is not crowded. If the seitan releases moisture instead of sizzling, cook it in two batches. Add the sauce only after browning; the maple syrup can catch quickly over high heat.
Main DishesSeitan and Edamame Bao Bun with Hoisin
Seitan gets crisp at the edges before being coated in a miso-peanut hoisin glaze. Serve the warm filling with cool carrot and cucumber inside freshly steamed bao buns.
Ingredients
Seitan and vegetables
Homemade hoisin
To finish
Prepared recipes
Preparation steps for Whole Wheat Bao Buns
Prep 35 minCook 18 minRest 2 hCook the tangzhong
Whisk the flour and water in a small saucepan until smooth. Stir over medium-low heat until the mixture thickens into a glossy paste, around 65°C. Transfer to a bowl and let it cool until just warm and you can stick your finger in it.
Activate the yeast
Warm the dough water until lukewarm, around 35°C. Stir in the active dry yeast and leave until slightly foamy.
Mix and hydrate
Combine the dough flour, sugar and salt. Add the tangzhong, yeast mixture and dough oil; mix into a rough dough. Cover and leave briefly so the bran can absorb the water.
Knead and rise
Knead (I did it with a robot) until the dough is smooth, pliable and lightly tacky, not stiff. Cover the bowl and leave in a warm place until the dough looks noticeably puffier and has doubled in size.
Shape the folded bao
Gently deflate the dough and divide it into eight equal pieces. Roll each into a thin oval, brush the surface lightly with the shaping oil and fold it in half over a chopstick; remove the chopstick and set the bun on a small piece of baking parchment.
Proof the shaped buns
Keep the folded buns covered (with a wet towel for example) until visibly puffed and light. Give them space so they do not stick together as they rise.
Steam and rest
Bring water in a steamer pot to a steady simmer, keeping it below the basket. Steam the buns over medium heat until swollen and set, about 10–12 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the lid closed for 5 minutes before moving the buns to a rack. I did another try with my steamed oven, 100 degrees celsius with full steam mode. It took 10-12min and the results were quite similar.
Preparation Steps
Prepare the toppings
Cut the carrot into fine matchsticks and slice the cucumber thinly. Finely slice the spring onions and keep the vegetables cold until serving.
Mix the homemade hoisin
Whisk the miso, peanut butter, low-sodium soy sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup, grated garlic, ground cinnamon, water and sriracha until smooth. Reserve roughly one-third of the sauce for serving.
Cook the edamame
Cook the frozen edamame according to the package instructions until hot and tender. Drain thoroughly so the glaze will cling to the beans rather than dilute. I just micro-waved them, it was more than enough.
Brown the seitan
Heat the canola oil in a large nonstick or well-seasoned pan over medium-high heat. Spread the thinly sliced seitan in a single layer and cook until the edges have browned, turning once or twice.
Glaze the filling
Reduce to medium-low heat, add the drained edamame and pour in the larger portion of hoisin sauce. Toss briefly until everything looks evenly coated and the glaze clings to the seitan, then take the pan off the heat.
Finish the filling
Divide the glazed seitan and edamame into portions, add the crisp carrot, cucumber and spring onions, then drizzle with the reserved hoisin sauce. Scatter over the sesame seeds just before serving it in your bao buns.
Recipe insights
Getting golden edges on seitan
Serving the filling in bao buns
Keep the carrot, cucumber and spring onions separate from the hot seitan until the last moment. The filling will stay pleasantly crisp instead of steaming the vegetables soft . The amounts are enough for about eight generously filled bao buns.
Making the bao filling ahead
The cooked seitan and edamame can be refrigerated in a covered container for up to three days. Store the raw vegetables separately and reheat the glazed filling gently; add the reserved sauce only when assembling so it keeps some body.
Miss
Loved it, wifey loved it; the children hated it—except for the bao bun, which they both found delicious. I think salty-sweet flavours can be hard to love at a young age, or perhaps my children are simply ungrateful :(
Plan the cooking time with homemade bao buns
I did not call the time in this recipe to make the homemade bao-buns since you can easily buy it in asian stores (usually frozen so you only need to reheat it), but it's absolutely worth doing at home !
The recipe is also on the website and is referenced in this recipe !
Make room for your own recipes
A little planning. More good food.
Create recipes with ingredients from our nutrition catalogue and see their nutrition and Feast EAT-Lancet alignment score. Keep your favourites, save your nutrition profile, plan meals by hand and take your shopping list with you.
Free accounts can create up to 10 recipes; a higher limit is coming with a paid plan.
Automatic meal generation and household planning are in beta, with limited access.
Comments
Be the first to comment 👇