Many of us are looking for alternatives to meat meals these days. Try these vegan Bao Buns a beautiful Thai dish from Auckland’s East restaurant executive chef Harmeet Singh – it is sophisticated and full of flavour, yet relatively easy to recreate at home.
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 2 bao buns (find these in the freezer at the supermarket)
- 1⁄2 cup (120g) jackfruit, sliced (canned jackfruit is fine, see notes)
- 1 teaspoon salted peanuts, crushed
- 1⁄4 cup cornflour
- Oil for frying
- 1⁄2 cup hoisin orange glaze (see below), or use hoisin sauce
- 1⁄4 cup shredded red cabbage
- 1⁄4 cup bean sprouts
- 3 red and 3 green chillies, sliced
- 2 sprigs coriander leaf
- 2 wood skewers
Hoisin orange glaze
- 1⁄2 cup hoisin sauce
- 1/3 cup pure orange juice
- 1⁄2 teaspoon chilli flakes
Method
Hoisin orange glaze
1. Mix glaze ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Let simmer and reduce down to a thick consistency, about 5 minutes, before removing from the heat. Set aside to cool.
Bao buns and filling
1. Steam your bao buns for 5 minutes, according to packet instructions. We love the Tefal Airfryer for steaming.
2. While steaming the buns, dust jackfruit with cornflour. Add 2cm oil to a large pan over a medium-high heat. Add jackfruit and shallow fry for 2-3 minutes (Alternatively, deep fry for 2 minutes in hot oil at 180°C). Remove and toss jackfruit in 1⁄2 cup of the sticky hoisin orange glaze.
3. Place steamed bao on serving plate and brush insides with hoisin orange glaze or hoisin sauce.
4. Fill bao with the hoisin-glazed jackfruit and top with cabbage, bean sprouts, chilli and coriander. Insert wooden skewer through the bao to hold together. Sprinkle crushed peanuts on the filling.
Note:
Canned jackfruit can be bought from many supermarkets. It’s quite bland so needs lots of flavour added, but has a meaty texture that’s similar to pulled pork.
Related article: A Busy Girls Life Saver: The Tefal Airfryer
