Description
Discover the delightful flavors of Vegan Baozi, traditional Chinese steamed buns filled with a savory, spiced aubergine filling. These soft, fluffy buns are perfect as a snack or meal and are made with a simple yeast dough and a flavorful curry-spiced aubergine filling, steamed to perfection for a light, healthy treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 300g all-purpose flour
- 3g active dry yeast
- 1 tsp sugar
- 150ml warm water
Filling
- 1 aubergine, sliced into little cubes
- 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp medium curry powder
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 red chilli, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 inch ginger, finely chopped
- 50 ml water
Garnish
- 1 spring onion, finely sliced
- Sesame seeds (optional)
- Chilli oil (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, active dry yeast, and sugar. Gradually pour in the warm water while mixing until a dough forms. Knead the dough for several minutes until it becomes soft and elastic. Cover the bowl with clingfilm or a cloth and let the dough rise in a warm, dry place for around 3 hours or until it has doubled in size.
- Cook the filling: While the dough rises, heat a pan and add the cubed aubergine along with light soy sauce, medium curry powder, sugar, chopped red chilli, minced garlic, and finely chopped ginger. Fry the mixture for 5 minutes to soften the aubergine and develop flavors.
- Simmer the filling: Add 50 ml water to the pan and continue frying for an additional 15 minutes. Mash the aubergine as you cook to create a rough, chunky paste. Allow the mixture to cook until the water has evaporated. Remove from heat and allow the filling to cool.
- Divide and shape the dough: Once the dough has risen, punch it down and cut it into 8 equal portions. Roll each portion into a smooth ball.
- Form the wrappers: Take one dough ball at a time and flatten it into a circular wrapper approximately 2 inches in diameter, making sure it’s even in thickness.
- Fill and seal the buns: Place a spoonful of the cooled aubergine filling in the center of each wrapper. Carefully pleat the edges in an anti-clockwise direction, pinching to seal the bun tightly, or fold the wrapper around the filling like wrapping a present, ensuring no moisture leaks to prevent sticking. Set the sealed buns aside on a floured surface. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
- Steam the buns: Prepare a bamboo or metal steamer by greasing it lightly with vegetable oil if metal to prevent sticking. Place the buns inside, leaving space between each bun. Steam over boiling water for 10 minutes until the buns puff up and are cooked through.
- Serve: Remove the steamed Vegan Baozi from the steamer and serve hot, garnished with sliced spring onions, sesame seeds, and optionally drizzle with chilli oil for extra heat. Enjoy your homemade Chinese steamed buns!
Notes
- Make sure the water used for the dough is warm, not hot, to activate the yeast properly without killing it.
- Do not overfill the buns to avoid difficulty sealing and dough tearing.
- If the dough sticks while sealing, dust your hands and surface lightly with flour to help handle it better.
- Steam buns should be eaten fresh for the best texture; however, leftovers can be reheated by steaming again or microwaving with a damp cloth to retain moisture.
- This recipe is vegan and can be made gluten-free by substituting gluten-free flour blends suitable for yeast doughs.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Steaming
- Cuisine: Chinese
Keywords: Vegan Baozi, Chinese steamed buns, aubergine filling, vegan Chinese recipe, steamed buns, vegan dim sum
