Name: Vegan Dim Sum Buns
Prep time: 13 min
Cook time: 31 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 2 clove garlic; 1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger; 0.5 bunch fresh coriander (15g); null splash groundnut oil; 450 g mixed mushrooms (such as shiitake and chestnut); 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar; 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce; 2 tbsp low-salt soy sauce; 4 null spring onions; 1 null fresh red chilli; 1 tbsp sesame oil; 1 tin light coconut milk (400 g); 500 g self-raising flour (or 2 filled coconut milk tins of flour); null pinch sea salt; null null flour for dusting; 2 tbsp sesame seeds; null to_serve hoisin sauce

Instructions

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1

To make the filling, peel and finely slice the garlic (2 cloves) and piece fresh ginger (1 thumb-sized). Pick the [fresh coriander] leaves and set aside, then finely slice the stalks. Heat a splash of [groundnut oil] in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat, then add the [garlic], [ginger] and [fresh coriander] stalks. Fry for around minutes (3), or until golden. Slice the mixed mushrooms (450 g), then add to the pan for around minutes (5), or until lightly golden brown.
2

Add the rice wine vinegar (2 tbsp), sweet chilli sauce (2 tbsp) and low-salt soy sauce (2 tbsp), then cook for a further minutes (5), or until the liquid has boiled and bubbled away and the mushrooms are golden brown and starting to caramelise. Transfer to a bowl.
3

Trim and finely slice the onions (4 spring), then add the white part to the bowl. Deseed and finely slice the red chilli (1 fresh), then add half to the bowl, reserving the rest for later. Stir in sesame oil (1 tbsp), then set aside.
4

Add the light coconut milk (1 tin), self-raising flour (500 g) (or 2 heaped tins’ worth of flour) and a good [pinch sea salt] to a food processor. Whiz to a dough, then transfer to a [flour for dusting]-dusted surface and roll into a thick sausage. Cut into 12 equal-sized pieces, roll into balls, then flatten into rounds, roughly 0.5 cm thick.
5

Equally divide the mushroom mixture between each of the 12 dough circles (you'll need roughly 1 tablespoon of filling per circle), making sure to leave a 2 cm gap around the edges. Pull and fold the sides over the filling, pinching the edges together to seal. Place upside-down (so the scruffy edges are underneath) in double-layered, lightly greased muffin cases and divide between two bamboo steamer baskets.
6

Place a wok over a high heat, then fill with water (1 litre) and pop the steamer baskets on top. Reduce the heat to medium and steam for around minutes (12), or until piping hot through and puffed up.
7

Meanwhile, toast the sesame seeds (2 tbsp) in a small frying pan over a medium heat. Once the buns are ready, sprinkle over the [sesame seeds] and the reserved [spring onions] and [fresh red chilli]. Tear the [fresh coriander] leaves on top, then serve with [hoisin sauce] for dipping.