St Andrew Mushroom & Tofu Bao
Kylee Newton - The Modern Preserver
2-4
15 minutes
20 minutes
Taiwanese
Dinner
I’ve created these yummy Tofu and St Andrew Szechuan, Blueberry & Habanero mushrooms Bao buns to satisfy my cravings for the legendary food at Bao London (one of my favourite London eating establishments).
If you crave Bao too then this is the recipe for you. Easily whipped up at home and without the hefty travel costs.
Ingredients
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100ml rice vinegar
500ml water
1 Tbsp salt
1 block firm tofu (300g)
Canola oil, for deep frying
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65g dried whole shiitake mushrooms
1 Tbsp canola oil
2 garlic cloves, grated
2 Tbsp premium light soy sauce
¼ tsp smoked paprika
6 Tbsp St Andrew Szechuan, Blueberry & Habanero
2 tsp caster sugar
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4-6 bao buns
1 carrot
30g roasted peanuts
Chives or coriander, optional
Directions
Brine the tofu in the vinegar, water, salt mixture for 8-24 hours, in the fridge.
Rinse the shiitake and put in a bowl covered with boiling water, cover and soak for 1-2 hours. Strain the mushrooms and keep 120ml of the soaking liquid. Remove the stems and slice the mushroom heads into 6-8 slices.
Sauté the garlic with oil until golden, add the soy sauce, paprika and St Andrew sauce. Simmer, stirring, for about 5 minutes, then dissolve in the sugar. Mix through the mushrooms, until combined, and stir through the reserved liquid. Keep on a very low heat for about 5 minutes.
Bring a deep pan of frying oil to 180°C. Remove the tofu from the brining liquid, draining it on paper towel. Cut the tofu into 2-3cm slices and carefully place into the hot oil, frying for 2-3 minutes until they are lightly golden all over. Remove and drain on paper towel.
Julienne your carrot and roughly chop the roasted peanuts. Build the bao with a bed of carrot on the bottom, then tofu and a forkful of the mushroom mix. Sprinkle on the peanuts and lastly a few sprigs of coriander or chopped chives.