You guys loved my previous Crispy Pork Buns recipe, so I’m bringing it back with a Vegetarian version! If you’re new to these, they are Sheng Jian Bao, aka Chinese crispy buns, commonly seen in Chinese restaurants. They are slightly different from the Chinese dumplings but the process is very much similar. Definitely a little bit more advanced to make but don’t worry, practice makes perfect and they are indeed very delicious.

There are 3 main components to this dish: The dough, the filling and the frying.

1. Dough: typical dumpling dough is a simple flour-and-water dough but these are yeasted dough, which makes them more fluffy and bun-like. They’re a little tougher to handle in my opinion but a little practice can go a long way.
2. Filling: this time, it’s a veggie filling! Please refer to my Crispy Pork Buns recipe if you would like to try the meat version. It’s also a great recipe to use up any leftover veggies you have in the fridge.
3. Frying: it’s a 2-step method of steaming and frying; don’t worry, it’s all going to be in the same pan. You will need to fry the buns first to get a golden bottom then pour in water to create steam. Steam is key to cooking the dough and filling, without it the buns will be raw.

Ingredients

Dough:

250g plain flour
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp yeast
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp vegetable oil
140 ml warm water

Filling:

3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 shallot (or 1/2 onion), finely diced
1 carrot, diced finely
1/2 small mapa/ chinese cabbage, diced finely (it looks like a lot but it will wilt down)
6-8 shiitake mushrooms, diced finely
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp mushroom powder (can sub with more soy sauce, season to taste)

Garnish:

Scallion/ spring onion, sliced
Sesame seeds, toasted

Method

1. Dough: in a bowl, combine water, sugar and yeast together. Mix well to combine and cover with a plate, let sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture is foamy on the top. Add flour, salt and oil and mix well until all the water is absorbed. Pour mixture onto a clean surface and knead for 5-10 minutes or until the dough is smooth. Place dough ball back into the bowl and cover with tea towel for 45 min – 1 hour.
2. Filling: in a pan over medium-high heat, saute with a bit of oil the onion, shallot, mushroom and carrots until soft. Add in the remaining ingredients and stir fry until the cabbage is wilted and the mixture is mostly dry. Season generously with pepper, set aside to cool.
3. Rolling: divide dough into 2 equal pieces and put 1 back into the bowl with the tea towel while you work on the other piece. Roll piece into a log and divide into 8-10 pieces, depending on how big you want the buns to be.
4. While you work on one piece, cover the rest to prevent drying. Shape it into a ball and with a miniature rolling pin, roll it into a circle (approx.. ¼ cm thick). Place approx. 1 tbsp of filling into the centre of the circle and create pleats around the edges to form a bao bun. (see video above for visuals). Repeat for the remaining dough pieces.
5. Frying: place a frying pan, with enough oil to cover the base of the pan, over medium heat. Place the bao buns into the oil and fry until the bottoms are golden brown. Once the bottoms are crispy, drop the heat by a bit, then pour approx. ¼ – ½ cup of water (enough to cover the base of the pan) into the pan and immediately cover with a lid, be careful it’s going to splatter so do it quickly. Let it steam for 8-10 minutes, uncover and let the water evaporate off. Fry for an extra 5 minutes to crisp up the bottoms again.
6. Garnish with sesame seeds and onion slices.