Asian vegetarian Steamed buns

 
 

Prep Time: 25min(excluding the time for pizza dough to reach room temperature) // Cook Time: 10 min// Total: 35 min // Serving: 9

We know pizza dough is great for baking, but did you know that you can also steam it? Don’t believe me? Then try my Asian vegetarian steamed buns. Cut the pizza dough into small pieces and roll it into a round shape. The recipe is versatile and you can modify it to your taste. Even though I used tofu as the protein source for these steamed buns, you can use ground pork instead. Since the pizza dough is stretchy, you can actually stuff the buns with more filling than when you make won tons or dumplings. Serve them as an appetizer, snack or side dish. They make for a great meal or you can eat them with a bowl of your favorite Asian soup.

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 Lb premade pizza dough

  • 8 oz firm tofu

  • 2 cups napa cabbage, finely chopped

  • ¼ cup finely chopped Shitake mushrooms (after soaking)

  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce

  • 1 ½ teaspoons sesame oil

  • 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger

  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic

  • 2 tablespoons chopped green onions

  • ¼  teaspoon ground white pepper

  • 3 cups water for steaming

Instructions:

  1. Bring the pizza dough to room temperature (takes about 30 minutes)

In the meantime, press water out of tofu:

  • Place a piece of paper towel on top of tofu

  • Place a heavy plate on top of paper towel for 30 minutes to press water out of the tofu

2. Break tofu into small pieces with hands

3. Combine napa, crumbed tofu, Shitake mushrooms, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, green onions and white pepper in a bowl

4. Divide the dough into 9 portions

5. Roll each portion of dough into a ball

6. Stretch each dough portion into a circular shape (with a round bottom shaped glassware if desired)

7. Fill each portion of dough with a spoonful of tofu filling

8. Press the dough with a spoon into the center in one hand and stretch the edge of dough with the opposite hand to increase the size of the dough

9. Add another spoonful of tofu filling into the center of dough and press the dough with a spoon in the center to increase the size of the dough

10. Seal one side of the dough then the other

Bring both ends of the sealed dough together then shape into a ball

11. Spray oil on a metal pan

12. Place buns in the metal pan and steam the buns on medium heat for 10 minutes

13. Take the buns off the stove when cooked (the dough should bounce back after pressing it with your finger)

14. Serve immediately