Bao with eggplant
Bao is a very famous Chinese dish. The filling of the bao can vary according to personal taste. I propose those made with vegetables only, very tasty. To facilitate the filling of the bao, I will show you how to cook them already half open.
INGREDIENTS FOR THE MIXTURE -250 gr flour - 125 gr hot water - 1/2 sachet of dry yeast - 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
INGREDIENTS FOR THE FILLING - 1 large eggplant (or two small) cut into coarse cubes and drain for 30 minutes in a colander with coarse salt - oil - 1 crushed garlic clove - 1 finely chopped spring onion - 3 tablespoons of Chinese wine - sugar - sesame seeds - 1 teaspoon of chili oil with peanuts
- 1 tablespoon of soy sauce - 1/2 cucumber cut into thin slices - salt to taste
PREPARATION - Prepare the dough: pour hot water and dry yeast into a bowl. Stir with a fork to completely dissolve the yeast. Add the flour and sugar. Start by kneading with chopsticks or a fork, then proceed with your hands. The dough should not be completely smooth or perfect. Make a ball and place it in the center of the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and then with a kitchen towel. Leave to rest at room temperature for 2 hours. - Prepare the filling: pour plenty of oil into the wok. Fry the crushed garlic with the spring onion. Add the aubergines (drain and dab with kitchen paper) and cook them well. Deglaze with wine and add the chili oil with peanuts, sugar, soy sauce and sesame seeds. Salt to taste. Eggplants must be caramelized and well cooked. - Divide the dough into small balls and start working them one by one with your hands (those that you are not working keep them in the transparent film so as not to dry them) on the work surface sprinkled with flour: make small disks and roll them out with a rolling pin to make them thin. Place a piece of baking paper in the center of the dough disk and fold the dough in half. - Steam the bao for 20 minutes, spreading parchment paper also on the basket. Space the baos well so that they do not stick together during cooking. - Once cooked, remove the parchment paper and stuff the baos with the aubergines and thinly sliced cucumber slices. Serve immediately.
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