Cai Bao Filling Vegetable Tofu Bun Filling Sesame Flavored Recipes

VEGAN TOFU BAO BUNS WITH PICKLED VEGETABLES RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Make the bao buns: Add the warm water, sugar, and yeast to a liquid measuring cup. Whisk to combine, then set aside to bloom, five minutes.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center. Add the yeast mixture and vegetable oil to the well and stir with a wooden spoon until a soft dough begins to form. Transfer the dough to a clean surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 3 minutes. Keep extra flour nearby in case the dough sticks to the surface or your hands. Shape into a ball.
• Lightly grease a clean large bowl with 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. Place the dough in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
• Meanwhile marinate the tofu: In a medium bowl, whisk together the scallions, ginger, garlic, sugar, five-spice, soy sauce, rice wine, and dark soy sauce.
• Add the tofu to a separate medium bowl and pour the marinade over. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
• Make the pickled vegetables: Prepare the cucumber, red pepper, daikon, carrot, yellow pepper, and jalapeños and set aside while you make the brine.
• In a large pot or deep pan over high heat, combine the water, sugar, rice vinegar, and salt. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then bring the mixture to a boil.
• Add the vegetables the brine. Stir to submerge, then remove the pot from the heat. Let sit while you sear the tofu and bake the buns, about 1 hour, then drain.
• Once the bao dough has risen, turn it out onto a floured surface. Divide the dough in half, then cut each half into 2 ounce pieces. Roll each piece into a ball.
• Working 1 at a time, flatten a ball with your palm on a lightly floured surface. Use a small rolling pin or wooden dowel to roll the dough out to a 5-inch round. Brush the top with sesame oil, fold it in half, and transfer it to a square of parchment paper set on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough. Cover the bao buns with a kitchen towel and let rest for 10 minutes.
• Bring a pot of water to a boil and set a bamboo steamer on top. Working in batches, transfer a few of the folded dough rounds at a time to the steamer, making sure the buns are not too crowded. Cover the steamer and steam the buns for 8-10 minutes, until the buns puff up and form a skin on the outside. Very carefully, lift the lid and remove the buns from the steamer. Repeat with the rest of the buns, keeping the steamed buns warm as they finish by covering with a towel.
• Sear the tofu: Remove the tofu from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Reserve the marinade.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the tofu and sear on one side until deep brown in color, about 5 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side until deep brown, 5 minutes more. Remove the tofu from the pan.
• Pour the reserved marinade into the skillet on medium heat and reduce until thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes. Return the tofu to the pan and stir to coat with the glaze. Remove the pan from the heat.
• To serve, slather the inside of the bao buns with hoisin sauce, then add the pickled vegetables, glazed tofu, sliced scallions, and sesame seeds.
• Enjoy!

CAI BAO FILLING (VEGETABLE TOFU BUN FILLING, SESAME-FLAVORED)

Steps:

• Heat oil in a wok over high heat.
• Add onions, garlic, and a splash of the sesame oil and soy sauce.
• Stir fry for 1 - 3 minutes to bring out flavor.
• Add tofu and stir fry until golden. If cubes are too large, break them during frying.
• Add mushrooms and another splash of sesame oil and soy sauce. Stir fry for 3 - 5 minutes.
• Add remaining sesame oil, soy sauce, and the vinegar.
• Add the spinach immediately.
• Stir fry until spinach is well wilted, 4 - 10 minutes.

DO SHA BAO FILLING (RED BEAN BUN FILLING)

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil in a saucepan, dissolve in sugar and shortening.
• Bring beans and bean liquid to a boil in a saucepan or large skillet.
• Add water-shortening-sugar mixture.
• Boil vigorously and mash for 15 minutes or until a paste begins to come together.
• Dissolve cornstarch in a little water and stir in to aid the formation of the paste.
• Refrigerate before use to improve consistency. For coarser paste, leave some beans whole. Use more shortening, less water, and/or a food processor for a smoother texture.

HOM BAO FILLING

Steps:

• Heat oil in a wok over medium heat and fry garlic for 1 minute.
• Add hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce and sesame oil.
• cook stirring for 2 minutes.
• Add the cornstarch/water mixture and bring to a boil until sauce thickens, around 2 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in pork and scallions.
• Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool completely.

JI DAN BAO / DAN CAI BAO (EGG AND CABBAGE BUN)

Steps:

• Heat peanut oil in a wok over high heat.
• Add 2/3 of the ginger, all the garlic, and stirfry for 1-2 minutes to bring out flavor.
• Add leeks or scallions. Stirfry for 1 - 2 minutes.
• Break eggs over wok, stirfry until almost done, 3 - 5 minutes depending on how hot your wok and oil are.
• Add soy sauce, remaining ginger, and cabbage. Stirfry until cabbage begins to get tender, 5 - 10 minutes. Add oil, water, or spice as needed.

ZHIR MA BAO (BLACK SESAME FILLING FOR BUNS)

Steps:

• Toast sesame seeds very lightly (be careful, black sesame becomes very bitter if overtoasted.).
• Add 1/4 cup sugar to the boiling water, dissolve.
• Combine 1/4 cup remaining sugar, sesame seeds, and 1 tbs peanut oil in a blender or masher.
• Process or crush to desired fineness - it can be anything from a gritty paste to a smooth filling.
• Add the hot water and remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and the remaining 1 tbs oil during the grinding process to adjust sweetness, consistency, and smoothness to taste.
• NOTE: This recipe should yield a very sesame-flavored, gritty paste after 5 - 10 minutes of start-stop processing without any extras.

BAO-ZI (TSAI RU BAO), VEGETABLE PORK STEAMED BUNS

Steps:

• Dough:.
• Dissolve the yeast in the water, then mix with the other dough ingredients until smooth. Allow to rise 40 minutes. Knead the dough until smooth and divide into 30 equally sized portions.
• Filling:.
• Blanch the leaves of the cabbage (or bok choy) briefly in boiling water. Remove and cool in water. Mince finely, strain and squeeze out all the water, as dry as possible. Mix the greens with the other meat filling ingredients until well combined.
• Roll out the dough into little circles roughly the size of your palm. Wrap one tablespoon of filling inside each piece of dough. (The tricky part is to get it to look pretty : Pinch the tops together tightly on top, over lapping to close the tops together.).
• Allow the filled rolls to rise the second time, for 40 minutes.
• Bring water to a boil in a steamer, arrange the buns on the steamer. It helps if you use pieces of parchment paper on the bottoms of the buns (like store bought buns) or the old method is to use some cabbage or leafy vegetables and line the entire steamer, so the steam still goes right through yet the buns won't stick to the steamer). Steam for 6 -8 minutes over high heat.

VEGETABLE AND TOFU BUN FILLING

Steps:

• To make the flavoring sauce, combine the sugar, pepper, water, soy sauce, and sesame oil in a small bowl, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Set aside near the stove.
• Heat the canola oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the scallion and cook, stirring constantly, for about 30 seconds, or until aromatic and slightly softened. Add the cabbage, tofu, carrot, and mushrooms. Stir to combine and add the flavoring sauce. Bring the mixture to a fast simmer, then allow it to bubble away, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced by about one-third, and the vegetables are cooked through. Give the cornstarch mixture a final stir and add it to the filling mixture. Cook, stirring, for another 30 seconds, or until the filling coheres. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool completely until using. (Just like the other bun fillings, this one can be prepared up to 2 days in advance, covered with plastic wrap, and refrigerated. Return it to room temperature before using.)