Dim Sum: Char Siu Bao & Mango Custard

Dim Sum: Char Siu Bao & Mango Custard

* Prep Time: several days
* Cook Time: 45 minutes

* Ingredients (for gluten):

• 2 cups gluten flour
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1-1/4 cups vegetable stock
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 4 cups water
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 3 pieces kombu
• 3-4 slices ginger 

* Ingredients (for char siu sauce):

• 3 tbsp maltose*
• 3 tbsp agave nectar
• 3 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rose wine
• several dashes white pepper powder
• 6 drops red coloring
• 1 tsp five-spice powder
• 1 tsp sesame oil

 * Ingredients (for char siu stir-fry):

• 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 tbsp ginger, minced
• 1 tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 cup green onion, thinly sliced
• 2/3 cup white onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup peas
• Vegetable cooking spray

 * Ingredients (for bun dough): 

• 1 cup warm water
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1 package dry yeast
• 3 1/4 cups  all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp canola oil
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

 * Ingredients (for mango custard):

• 2 mangoes, peeled, pit taken out
• 1/2 cup ice
• 12 ounces coconut milk
• 2 tsp raw sugar
• 2 tsp agar agar powder
 

* Recipe (for gluten):

1. Combine the water, kombu, soy sauce, and ginger in a large pot. Bring it to a boil while you do the next steps.
2. Combine the rest of the ingredients inside a large bowl. Mix until well combined. Kneed for a bit.
3. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes. Kneed again, then let rest for another 15 minutes.
4. Spread dough on a cutting board, form into a log, and cut into 5-6 pieces.
5. Take out kombu from the pot.
6. Place pieces in pot and let simmer for 1 hour. Rotate them occasionally so they do not stick to the bottom of the pot.
7. When done cooking, rip apart the gluten into tiny pieces. Combine well with the char siu sauce.
8. Let marinate for 24-72 hours.

 * Recipe (for char siu sauce):

1. Combine all ingredients.

* Recipe (for char siu stir-fry):

1. Combine all ingredients in a large wok.
2. Place marinated seitan in the wok. Cook for 15-20 minutes until the onions are translucent.

 * Recipe (for bun dough):
 

1. Combine all ingredients.
2. Let rise for 30-45 minutes in an oiled bowl.
3. Cover bowl with foil while rising.
4. On a flour powdered cutting board, cut strip pieces of the dough.

* Instructions to build char siu bao:
 

1. Get your steamer ready while you are doing the next steps. Use banana leaves or wax paper to line the bamboo steamer before you place bao's inside.
2. On floured cutting board, take one strip of dough, form into a ball, and then flatten. I just kept pressing until it was flat, but you could use a floured rolling pin too (this might be better and make the bun part less dense, as an after thought of making this recipe).
3. Take several teaspoons of the char siu stir-fry and put in the middle of your dough circle.
4. Form into a bao by taking the sides, bring them up to the top middle of the dough circle (making sure your mixture does not fall out), and pinch with your fingers at the top to secure.
5. Place baos into the steamer. Give them plenty of room from each other because they will expand and will stick together if you don't have enough room.
6. After 15-20 minutes in steamer (do not open the steamer while they cook), the bao's will be done. Enjoy!

* Recipe (for mango custard):
 

1. In a sauce pot, combine the agave and coconut milk. Bring to boil and then a simmer.
2. In a blender, combine the mango and ice.
3. Add the agar agar to the simmering coconut milk mixture. Whisk until dissolved.
4. Combine the mango mixture and coconut milk mixture in the blender. Blend.
5. Pour mixture into bowls and let it refrigerate for at least 1 hours before serving.

* Notes: Maltose is malt sugar. It is somewhat hard to find. I suggest looking in an Asian grocery store or a specialty store like Whole Foods. I ended up finding it at a home beer brewing store (it's what they use to make beer!) because Whole Foods didn't have it. It definitely makes this recipe so I highly suggest trying to get it, otherwise you could use agave nectar if worse comes to worse.