South African inspired bao buns

Asian food has been gaining a popularity trajectory that shows no signs of slowing down here in South Africa. I understand why we enjoy the cuisine so much, the freshness and whack of chili really does nestle in comfortably with our environment and palates. Bao buns or steamed buns if you will has a thread of similarity with uJeqe ( steamed Zulu bread) so that inspired filling them with a tamatie bredie made with brisket. The brisket needs to cook for quite a few hours, so this is definitely a slow food dish and cant be rushed. Finished off with pickled red onions and julienne carrots and cucumber, it will make you want to rustle up your own steamed bun hybrid.

Steamed Bao buns filled with tamatie brisket bredie and pickled vegetables – makes 18

Steamed buns

525g flour

50ml milk

12g sugar

1 tablespoon olive

4g yeast

1 tablespoon vinegar

2g salt

200ml water

Tamatie brisket bredie

1kg brisket

3g nutmeg

1 red onion

2g cinnamon

4 garlic cloves

5g sugar

4g ground coriander

1 tin tomatoes

4g ground cumin

375ml chicken stock

4g garam masala

200g tomato puree

20g apricot jam

Pickled red onion

1 cup finely sliced red onion

1 cup vinegar

1 tablespoon caster sugar

1 teaspoon salt

Method:

•  Start with your brisket. In a medium wide based pot, sear the brisket on each side and remove

•  In the same pot, fry onions until translucent

•  Add garlic and spices, cooking for 1 minute until the raw spices have been cooked out

•  Return the brisket to the pot followed by the tinned tomatoes, chicken stock and tomato puree and sugar.

•  Cook the brisket covered on medium heat, covered for 3 and a half hours occasionally turning the brisket

•  Remove the lid and cook for a further 30 minutes to reduce and stir in the jam

Bao buns

•  Mix together the flour, caster sugar, salt, yeast in a large bowl

•  Add sunflower oi, rice vinegar, oil and 200ml water

•  Mix to form a dough, empty onto a work surface and knead for 10 minutes until the dough is smooth

•  Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth and prove until double in size about 2 hours.

•  Divide the dough into 18 balls

•  Using a rolling pin, roll each ball into an oval shape of 4mm thickness

•  Rub the surface of the dough with oil, using a square of baking paper place the paper on the lower half of each oval, fold the dough over the baking paper and remove the paper.

•  Cut 18 squares of baking paper and a bun on each one.

•  Leave to prove for 90 minutes

•  Place buns in a steamer and steam for 10 minutes

Pickled red onion

•  Place vinegar, salt and sugar in a saucepan on medium heat

•  Add the sliced onion and cook for 2 minutes

•  Leave to cool, store in an airtight container in the fridge

Assembly

• Fill each bun with brisket, picked red onion and julienned carrots and cucumber