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Gua bao with braised tofu and mushroom
Guà bāo: folded Taiwanese steamed buns with soy-braised filling, pickled mustard greens and peanut sugar
Gua bao are the folded, clam-shaped buns sold at night markets from Tainan to Keelung, traditionally stuffed with a slab of soy-braised pork belly and eaten as a 'tiger bites pig' snack at year-end company dinners. Here the filling is thick slices of tofu and king oyster mushroom simmered in the same sweet soy braise, then layered with sour mustard greens, a spoon of ground peanut and sugar, and fresh coriander. The soft bun, salty filling and sweet peanut crumble are what make it. Chef's tip: brush the half-moons with oil before folding and lay a strip of baking paper inside, so the buns open cleanly after steaming.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the buns (8)
For the filling
To fill
Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Mix 10 ½ oz plain flour, 1 tsp instant dried yeast, 2 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp baking powder in a bowl. Add ¾ cup lukewarm water and 1 tbsp of 1 tbsp vegetable oil and knead for 8–10 minutes into a smooth, soft dough that no longer sticks to your hands.
10 minStep 2: Cover and leave in a warm spot for 45–60 minutes, until doubled and a floured finger leaves a dent that stays.
50 minStep 3: Knock the dough back and divide into 8 pieces. Roll each into an oval about 12 × 8 cm and 4 mm thick. Brush the top with the rest of 1 tbsp vegetable oil, lay a strip of baking paper over one half and fold the oval over into a half-moon.
15 minStep 4: Set each bun on a square of baking paper in a steamer basket, 3 cm apart. Cover and leave for 20 minutes to puff slightly.
20 minStep 5: Meanwhile, brown 10 ½ oz extra-firm tofu slices and 2 king oyster mushrooms in a lightly oiled non-stick pan over a medium-high heat for 3 minutes a side, until golden.
8 minStep 6: Add 3 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, 1 ½ tbsp brown sugar, 2 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine, ¼ tsp five-spice powder, 1 star anise and 150 ml water. Simmer on a low heat for 15 minutes, turning once, until the liquid has cooked down to a thick glaze and the tofu is a deep mahogany colour.
15 minStep 7: Squeeze 4 oz pickled mustard greens (suan cai) dry and stir-fry in a dry pan over a medium heat for 3 minutes, until they smell sharp and toasty. Blitz or finely chop 1 ¾ oz roasted peanuts with 1 tbsp sugar to a coarse, sandy crumble.
3 minStep 8: Steam the buns over boiling water on a medium-high heat for 10–12 minutes, until puffed, matt and springy. Turn off the heat and leave the lid on for 3 minutes. Common mistake: lifting the lid straight away; the sudden cold air makes the buns wrinkle and collapse.
15 minStep 9: Open each bun, pull out the paper and fill with a slice of tofu, a slice of mushroom, a spoon of mustard greens, a generous pinch of peanut sugar and some ½ oz fresh coriander. Eat warm.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 13 g
- Carbs
- 48 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does gua bao with braised tofu and mushroom take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 90 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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