FunGuy’s Steamed Hoisin Shiitake Mushroom Buns

Get a little family fun time going on this weekend with a fun food project the FunGuy  way by making up a batch of these homemade steamed hoisin sautéed shiitake mushroom buns!

This recipe includes a smooth chewy dough from scratch, a mixture of sticky shiitake mushrooms and protein rich tofu for filling, and a bit of time and hands on work that’s well worth the effort! 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Add the warm water and sugar to a bowl and stir well. Sprinkle the yeast over the top of the water and set aside for about 10 minutes. It will be foamy on top when ready.
2. In another bowl mix together the vegetable oil, flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt until a sticky dough ball forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until it becomes smooth; about 10 minutes. Pour a little more oil into a bowl and transfer the dough ball to it. Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel and place in a warm place until it has risen and doubled in size; approximately 1 hour.
3. While the dough rises, prepare the filling for the buns. 
4. Brush off any debris from the FunGuy shiitake mushrooms with a damp cloth and trim the ends of the stems. Roughly chop the mushrooms and transfer to a bowl.
5. In another bowl mix half of the garlic, ginger, hoisin sauce, half of the soy sauce, half of the Chinese five-spice powder, half of the rive vinegar, and half of the sesame oil. Pour this mixture over the shiitake mushrooms and toss well to coat the mushrooms in the sauce.
6. Place the crumbled tofu into a clean bowl and add the remaining minced garlic, soy sauce, five-spice powder, vinegar, and sesame oil. Mix well to incorporate the seasoning into the tofu. Cover and allow to marinate at least 15 minutes.
7. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or large sauté pan, over medium high. Once it’s hot, add in the shiitake mushrooms and sauce and stir fry, constantly stirring, until the sauce has reduced down and created a thick coating over the mushrooms; 5-7 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl to cool to room temperature, and return the wok to the burner.
8. Increase the heat under the wok to high and allow it to heat up again, about one minute, before adding the tofu mixture to the hot pan. Stir fry the tofu 7-8 minutes, or until it has lightly browned. Taste and adjust soy sauce or salt as necessary. Turn off the heat and transfer the mixture to the shiitake mushrooms and mix together. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
9. Deflate the bun dough by pushing forcefully down in the middle of it. Divide the dough into 6 pieces and roll each into a ball. Cover with a wet towel to keep from drying out.
10. To assemble the buns, take a dough ball and flatten it evenly into a disk about 4-5 inches wide. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the shiitake mushroom and tofu mixture into the middle of the dough disk and pull up the sides into the center and twist to close the top. Transfer the filled bun to a plate lined with parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Cover and allow the buns to rest about 20-30 minutes.
11. To cook the shiitake mushroom filled buns, bring about 1 inch of water to a boil in a clean wok or large pot. Line the bottom of a layer of a bamboo steamer with parchment paper, cutting slits in the paper for steam to move through. Transfer the buns to the steamer in a single layer. Cover with the top and place the steamer into the wok and allow to steam 12-15 minutes. Do not open the lid during steaming.
12. Turn off the heat and allow to sit 2-5 minutes before opening and serving.

Have a Fun meal!