• Ingredients:
  • 8oz package of FunGuy crimini mushrooms
  • 2 cucumbers
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 yellow bell pepper
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 inch ginger root
  • 2 limes
  • 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon fish sauce
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil, divided
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
  • 8 open unfilled bao buns
  • peanuts (optional)
  • cilantro (optional)
  • sriracha (optional)

Let the FunGuy take a bao this week for our new sweet and savory crimini and Vietnamese style salad bao buns!

Hoisin marinated and sautéed crimini mushrooms are the perfect topping to fluffy steamed bao buns with a tangy, salty, sweet, south Asian flavored marinated cucumber, pepper, and carrot salad inside. Add a bit of crunchy peanuts and a few dabs of sriracha and it’s just like take out, but at home! 

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Brush off any debris from the FunGuy crimini mushrooms with a damp cloth, trim the stems and discard before slicing thinly and transferring to a mixing bowl. Trim the ends and peel of the cucumber and carrot, cut the peppers in half and remove the stems and seeds. Cut the cucumber, carrot, and peppers into matchstick thin slices and add it to a separate mixing bowl. 
  2. Peel and mince the garlic and ginger root and transfer to a small mixing bowl. Add the fish sauce, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil to the bowl and mix well. Cut one of the limes in half and squeeze the juice into the bowl and whisk to combine. Pour all but a spoonful of the dressing over the cucumber and peppers mixture and toss well. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour for the salad to marinate.
  3. While the salad marinates, prepare the crimini mushrooms.
  4. Add the hoisin, other half of the sesame oil, and the reserved salad dressing to the bowl with the mushrooms and toss to coat the mushrooms with the seasoning. Cover and refrigerate until about 10 minutes before ready to assemble. Be sure to strain excess liquid from the salad before assembling so the buns don’t fall apart.
  5. To prepare the bao buns line a deep pan or wok with baking paper cut to the size of the bottom of the pan. Heat the pan over high with about ½ inch of water. Once it has come to a very light boil, place the bao buns in the bottom of the pan without touching, working in batches if necessary. There should be just ¼ inch of water left to use to steam the buns. Cover with a lid and turn the temperature to low and allow the buns to steam for about 10-15 minutes. Boa buns are done when thick and fluffy, but not sticky. Turn off the heat and transfer to a covered dish to keep warm. 
  6. Return the wok to the burner over high heat. Add the marinated mushrooms to the pan and sauté 4-6 minutes, or until cooked through and most of the liquid has thickened or been absorbed. Turn off the heat. 
  7. To assemble the bao buns, open the steamed bao bun and add a bit of the cucumber and pepper salad and top with a bit of the hoisin crimini mushrooms, peanuts, and fresh cilantro leaves. Finish it off with sweet chili, sriracha, or a squeeze of lime before serving!  

Have a Fun meal!