Vegan Char Siu Bao

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Vegan Char Siu Bao

(叉烧包), is Cantonese for BBQ Pork Bun. BBQ in Cantonese originates from a long fork, roasted over a spit fire, and a bao is a bun. You can usually find these in dim sum carts but rarely will you ever find these vegan.

These are the best Dim Sum buns, made vegan. It’s a fluffy, chewy, tender bao made with meaty like King Trumpet mushrooms. Filled with a sweet, savory, sticky char siu sauce from scratch. Make these in bulk to have a snack whenever the cravings hit! They freeze incredibly well.

Char Siu is made from scratch. These char siu baos are made with the pleats on top to burst open just a tiny bit when steamed!

No Tofu

We’ve veganized this recipe using King Trumpet Mushrooms, no tofu here. It’s sweet, savoury, sticky, and a little peppery. This recipe uses no powder/seasoning packets. It’s an absolute “from scratch” recipe with old school ingredients.  

I’ve used my gua bao dough and xa xiu recipe to make this vegan favorite. The technique on these baos are different from the taro custard filled ones. 

The dough is rolled out and then pleated at the top of the bao. After they’re steamed, they burst open just a tiny bit- so that the little bit of char siu sauce shows. 

MEET THE PLAYERS

Char Siu Ingredients from scratch. No instant powder packets here!

Nấm Đùi Gà | King Trumpet Mushrooms 

King Trumpet Mushrooms are an amazing meat substitute. They’re hearty, meaty, and when pulled apart look like shredded chicken. The texture makes it ideal for this application. The flavors are subtle and delicate, paired with this char siu sauce makes it a win-win recipe. These mushrooms from top to bottom are a vegan eater’s dream. 

Red Yeast Rice

Red yeast rice is our special ingredient. You really can’t beat the fact that it’s red, fermented and an all natural food dye. It boasts so many incredible health benefits, but in culinary applications it’s been used since 1600 B.C. I wanted a recipe that used no seasoning packets and really embraced ingredients that were originally used to make this recipe what it is.

Red yeast rice can be pounded in a mortar and pestle or alternatively throw all the ingredients in a blender until smooth.

Maltose

Meet the tackiest sugar that is nowhere near as sweet as any regular sugar or syrup. Maltose is 30-40% less sweeter than your normal sugars. This is a key ingredient in old school Cantonese cooking. 

It’s the gloss that graces peking duck and traditional char siu. The viscosity of this sugar is too thick to be called a syrup. It is commonly used in your favorite mooncake, and makes this recipe not too sweet.  

The Char Siu sauce once all the ingredients have been combined before simmering.

Cornstarch

The added cornstarch transforms our braising liquid into a more gelatinous like mixture. This is important because liquid can ruin a good bao. The cornstarch keeps things intact while allowing the bao to steam without releasing water from the mushrooms and sauce. 

SPECIAL TIPS

Braising

1st part of the braising w/ lid on.

2nd Part of Braising w/ lid off.

Add cornstarch to tighten up the filling.

Char Siu might traditionally be on a spit fire fork over an open flame, but there are plenty of  recipes done in a pan. These mushrooms develop flavor and are texturally more appetizing when braised.

It’s important to start off with a decent amount of liquid. The first part of braising starts with the lid on so we can penetrate the flavor into the mushroom. 

We remove the lid for the last 15 minutes to allow the braising liquids to cook down and get more concentrated. This helps us to remove any excess water and add a little cornstarch to tighten up the filling. 

The Method:

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Chill the Filling

We want it to hold shape and be easy to scoop.

Make the Dough.

Rest for 15 minutes before rolling it.

Roll the Dough.

Leave the center thicker and thin out the skirt to make pleating easier.

Place the Filling in the Center

Scoop out about 1 tbsp of filling and place it on the thickest part of the bao.

Pleating is Easy

Grab one end of the dough and use the thumb to hold the pleats. Using your index fingers, create the fold.

Pleat all the way around.

Continue to pleat with your index fingers, folding and tucking all the way around. Use your thumb to hold the pleats once they’re formed.

Cover and Proof

Allow the baos to proof to 50%.

Perfect Proof

They’re perfectly proofed when you touch the dough and it springs back slowly!

Kitchen Towel

Use a towel tp prevent condensation. The towel should go under and reach to the top of the lid.

Steaming the Perfect Bao

Steady steam and no water condensation is important to the skin of the bao. Steam for 12-15 minutes.

The Perfect Bao

The skin should tear away from the bao.

Freezing

After steaming, you can freeze these for later. Re-freeze straight from frozen!

FINAL THOUGHTS AND NOTES:

You can actually make these ahead of time and allow them to slow proof in the refrigerator! When you’re ready to steam, remove it from the refrigerator. Let it finish proofing, and steam.

All sugar is not vegan! If you’re in the states select bone char free sugar by purchasing organic. 

Vegan Char Siu Baos are great for a snack, a meal, and/or part of a great dim sum collection. They can be steamed and then frozen for future consumption. When you’re ready to eat them just re-steam from the freezer. These will keep for up to 6 months.  

LET’S GET STARTED!

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Vegan Char Siu Bao

Yield

12

Author

Kim Bao

Prep time

30 Min

Cook time

15 Min

Inactive time

4 Hour

Total time

4 H & 45 M

A fluffy, chewy, tender bao made with meaty like King Trumpet mushrooms. Filled with a sweet, savory, sticky char siu sauce made from scratch.

Ingredients

Char Siu Filling

• 9 oz King Oyster Mushroom, cleaned
• 4 grams garlic, minced (1 tsp, 1 clove)
• 5 grams ginger, minced (1 tsp)
• 4 stalks of green onion
• 10.5 grams shallots, minced (1 tbsp)
• 7.5 grams soy sauce (1½ tsp)
• 21 grams Hoisin Sauce (1 tbsp)
• 45 grams maltose (2 tbsps)
• 5 grams rice wine (1 tsp)
• 15 grams oil (1 tbsp)
• 23 grams red yeast rice (3 tbsps)
• 37.5 grams sugar (3 tbsp)
• 2.5 grams salt (½ tsp)
• ½ tsp five spice powder
• ⅛ tsp white pepper
• 227 grams water (1 cup)
• 15 grams cornstarch (2 tbsps) mixed with 45 grams cold water (3 tbsps)

Bao Dough

• 4 grams active dry yeast (1 tsp)
• 4 grams sugar (1 tsp)
• 50 grams water (3 tbsps + 1 tsp)
• 300 grams All Purpose Flour (2½ cups)
• 60 grams Wheat Starch (½ cup)
• 4 grams baking powder (1 tsp)
• 2.5 grams salt (½ tsp)
• 37.5 grams sugar (3 tbsps)
• 15 grams oil (1 tbsp)
• 150 grams cold milk of choice (⅔ cup)

Instructions

Char Siu Filling

1. Grind the red yeast rice in a mortar and pestle until fine and powdery.* Add in the remaining ingredients and mix until well combined. Set aside.
2. Cut ¼ inch off from the base of the mushroom. Discard the fibrous stems and dice the mushrooms.
3. In a thick bottomed pan, over medium heat add 1 tbsp oil.
4. Add shallots ginger, garlic, sweat for 1 minute or until fragrant.
5. Add all the remaining ingredients except the mushrooms and cornstarch/water. Bring to a slow simmer, approximately 3 minutes.
6. Once the sauce is simmering add mushrooms.
7. Allow the mushrooms to braise for 30- 45 minutes. Remove the lid to reduce the sauce for an additional 10 minutes. Add to it, the cornstarch/water slurry. Mix well to combine.
8. Once thickened, remove from the heat and allow it to cool. Place it in the fridge to chill while making the dough.

Prepare the dough

1. Bloom the yeast by adding sugar, yeast, and lukewarm water. Set aside for 10 minutes.
2. Line a baking sheet with silicone mat and prepare parchment paper. Cut 12 squares approximately 3x3” and set aside.
3. Prepare the dough by adding all of the remaining ingredients into a mixing bowl. Once the yeast has bloomed, add to the flour mixture.
4. Mix the dry and wet ingredients. Bring the dough together. It will look a bit shaggy. Using a dough hook knead for an additional 5 minutes until the dough is well combined and smooth.*
5. Cover and allow the dough to rest for 15 minutes.

Assemble the baos

1. Divide the dough into 12 pieces. Shape into a ball, cover and set aside.
2. Working with one piece at a time, flatten it out. Leave the center thicker. Roll out the skirt so it’s thinner.
3. Place the rolled dough in one hand, scoop 1 tbsp filling to the center of the dough.
4. Grab one end of the dough and cradle the center. Use the thumb to hold the pleats. Use both index fingers to fold a pleat. Hold the pleats by tucking it into your thumb.
5. Continue all the way around the bun. Once you’ve pleated all the way around, secure the top by pushing it together or slightly twisting the top.
6. Press the pleats together to secure it just enough for proofing. Using the palm of your hands, round out the dough moving from the base to the top.
7. Place the bun on cut parchment paper, on top of a lined baking tray. Cover and repeat with the remaining pieces.
8. Once completed, cover all the buns.
9. Allow the bun to proof until it’s 50% larger. This can take roughly an hour or longer depending on the temperature.
10. DO NOT ALLOW THE BUNS TO OVERPROOF!***

Steaming the baos

1. Before your buns are done proofing, prepare a pot of water and a steamer basket. Have a large kitchen towel ready to cover the inside and gather on top of the lid.
2. Bring the water to a hard boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and keep covered until ready to insert the steamer basket. Once the buns are done proofing, place 4 buns to steam with room to expand. Steam for approximately 12-15 minutes.
3. Remove the buns from the steamer basket.**** Place on a cooling rack. Check the water, add if necessary and repeat until all the buns are steamed.*****

Notes:

*Alternatively blend all the char siu ingredients until smooth.

*If kneading by hand knead for 12-15 minutes.

**Proofing is done, when you press your finger against the dough it springs back slowly. 

***The baos can proof in the refrigerator for a day or two. Once you’re ready to move onto the next step, allow the baos to proof at room temperature until they’re 50% larger in size. 

****If you can’t steam all the baos at one time, place it in the refrigerator while waiting to switch steam. 

*****This recipe once cooked, freezes well. When ready to eat just prepare steamer and steam from frozen and serve hot. 

Recommended Products:

Steamer

Drying Rack

Dowel

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