Description
These steamed bao buns are soft, puffy, and deliciously filled with flavorful marinated baked tempeh and fresh, vibrant fixings like avocado, cucumber, carrots, and herbs. The recipe involves making a yeasted dough, steaming the buns for a light texture, and baking marinated tempeh for a perfect plant-based filling. Fun and rewarding to make, these bao buns are ideal for a tasty snack or meal.
Ingredients
Bao Buns
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons warm water, 110°F
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- ¼ cup avocado oil, plus more for brushing
Filling
- 8 ounces tempeh, sliced into 12 strips and steamed
- 6 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 3 tablespoons sriracha
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- Lime wedges, for squeezing and serving
- Avocado slices
- Sliced cucumber and/or carrot
- Fresh herbs, cilantro and/or mint
- Diced Thai chiles
Instructions
- Activate the yeast. In a small bowl, combine the active dry yeast, sugar, and warm water. Stir well and let it sit for about 5 minutes until the yeast becomes foamy, indicating it is active.
- Make the dough. In a large bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Add the avocado oil and the foamy yeast mixture, stirring to form a rough dough. If too dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons more water. Transfer to a floured surface and knead vigorously for about 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- First proof. Lightly oil a bowl, place the dough inside, and cover it. Set it aside in a warm place for 45 minutes. Note that this dough won’t rise as much as traditional yeasted dough.
- Prepare the tempeh filling. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Steam the sliced tempeh for a few minutes until tender. In a small bowl, whisk hoisin sauce, sriracha, fresh grated ginger, and lime zest. Reserve half the sauce for serving, and toss the remaining half with the tempeh. Let marinate for 20 minutes.
- Bake the tempeh. Place the marinated tempeh strips on the lined baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until browned and slightly crispy around the edges.
- Shape the buns. Cut twelve 4-inch squares of parchment paper and lay them on a baking sheet. Roll the dough out on a clean surface to ¼ inch thickness. Using a 3-inch glass, cut dough circles. Place each circle on a parchment square, brush lightly with oil, then fold each circle in half gently pressing so the halves stick but remain puffy. Cover with plastic wrap and let them rest for 1 hour until puffed.
- Steam the buns. Place a bamboo steamer over a pan with 1 inch of simmering water. Arrange buns in the steamer (with the parchment underneath), cover, and steam for 9 to 11 minutes until puffed and cooked through. Work in batches as needed.
- Assemble the bao buns. Squeeze lime juice over avocado slices, cucumber, and carrots. Open each steamed bun and fill with baked tempeh strips, spoon a bit of reserved sauce on top, add avocado, veggies, fresh herbs, and diced Thai chiles. Serve with lime wedges and remaining sauce on the side.
Notes
- Yeast activity is crucial for the buns: use water at around 110°F to activate.
- Don’t expect the dough to rise very much during the first rest because of the recipe’s unique balance of leavening agents.
- Steaming in a bamboo steamer imparts subtle flavor and allows gentle cooking preserving the buns’ softness.
- Use a parchment paper square under each bun to prevent sticking to the steamer.
- Baked tempeh provides a flavorful and protein-rich filling, making this recipe vegan-friendly.
- Fresh herbs and chiles can be adjusted to taste preferences or omitted if sensitive to spice.
- Prep Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Steaming
- Cuisine: Asian
