BAO BUN BURGERS

Prep time: 45 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Serves: 4-6

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Bao Bun Recipe:

Side note: If you want to make your own bao buns, follow this recipe, however, I find that the small bao buns from the asian grocer are just as good, and often much easier to just steam and use!

INGREDIENTS

500g wholemeal flour
1 tsp yeast
500ml milk (or soy milk)
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 tsp warm water

1. In a big bowl, mix together the flour, and sugar, stirring well. As you are doing this, place yeast, salt and 1 tsp warm water together, mixing to ensure the it combines well and the yeast dissolves. Mix into the bowl once combined, and stir well.

2. Tip onto a lightly flour dusted counter, and knead for 8-10 minutes, or until dough no longer feels sticky, but smooth and stretchy. Place into a bowl, cover it with a tea-towel, or cling-wrap and leave for approximately an hour in a warm place so it can double in size.

3. Once it has risen, knead the dough a few more times, and then break it into small hand sized chunks to be rolled into your small bao buns (note this will rise again, and you want really small bite sized- ones).

4. Leave to rest on a covered tray for another hour, until they have risen again. Then place them into a steamer over a simmering saucepan for 8-10 minutes or until they have risen, and soft to touch, and squishy.

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Rest of the Burger…

This pattie is actually very similar to a Japanese flavoured pancake, but the perfect sandwich for the burger I was making! Delicious on its own too if you want something smaller to eat.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup wholemeal flour
6 eggs
1/2 cup red cabbage thinly diced
4 carrots
4 spring onion
6 kale leaves
2 tbsp ginger
2 tbsp garlic

Vegetable sauce (easy to find at Asian supermarket)

1. Thinly dice the cabbage, kale, and spring onions, and mix together in a big mixing bowl. Grate the carrots and add them in too, mixing in the 6 eggs and flour at the same time, ensuring the whole mixture is covered.

2. Here you add in the ginger, garlic, and any chili or additional flavour you want- I find this is enough as there will be sauce on the burger afterward. Mix these through well.

3. Heat a frying pan on medium, and using a small egg-ring, or a cookie cutter, place small batches of the mixture in the cut-out, pressing down, and then remove the cutter, so you are left with small circular patties on the frying pan. Heat these in oil for approximately 3 minutes per side, or until darkened (you want to make sure the egg is cooked). Flip when needed.

4. When done, remove from the frying pan and we start assembling the burger. Take two bao buns, placing a pattie in between, top with spinach, sauce (I used a vegetable sauce I bought), and then use a skewer to hold it together. Keep hot in oven if you need, or eat immediately.