Bao Bun & Noodle Cookery Class Recipes
Our cookery classes are as much about learning to cook as they are a sociable experience. We hope you enjoyed your class and are ready to recreate the dishes again.
We Made: Baos, Spiced Chicken, Asian Slaw, Homemade Noodles, Lime Caramel Fish
Bao Buns
Ingredients – Makes 8
- 260g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1tsp caster sugar, plus a pinch
- 1/2 tsp fast-action dried yeast
- 25ml milk
- 1/2 tbsp sunflower oil, plus extra for brushing and for the bowl
- 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
Method
- Mix together the flour, caster sugar and ½ tsp salt in a large bowl (see tip). Dissolve the yeast and a pinch of sugar in 1 tbsp warm water, then add it to the flour with the milk, sunflower oil, rice vinegar and 100ml water. Mix into a dough, adding a little extra water if needed.
- Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 10-15 mins, or until smooth. Put in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth and leave to rise for 2 hrs, or until doubled in size.
- Tip the dough out onto a clean work surface and punch it down. Flatten the dough with your hands, then sprinkle over the baking powder and knead for 5 mins.
- Roll out the dough into a long sausage shape, about 3cm thick, then cut into pieces that are about 3cm wide – you should have 8. In the palm of your hand, roll each piece of dough into a ball and leave to rest for 2-3 mins.
- Use a rolling pin to roll out each ball, one by one, into an oval shape about 3-4mm thick. Rub the surface of the dough ovals with oil and brush a little oil over a chopstick. Place the oiled chopstick in the centre of each oval. Fold the dough over the chopstick, then slowly pull out the chopstick.
- Cut 8 squares of baking parchment and put a bun on each. Transfer to a baking tray, cover with a clean tea towel and leave to prove in a warm place for 1 hr 30 mins, or until doubled in size.
- Heat a large steamer over a medium-high heat. Steam the buns for 8 mins until puffed up (you’ll need to do this in batches). Prise open each bun and fill
Asian slaw
Ingredients – This makes plenty, but is a great accompaniment to any dish, even with a simple roast chicken! Judge how much you want to make.
The same ingredients make this dish as a cold or a warm slaw; if you want it cold, you just make it in a bowl, which saves on pans if you are entertaining. It’s really flexible so literally use up random vegetables in the bottom of the fridge, so the recipe will never needs to be the same twice!
- Handful red cabbage, finely shredded
- Handful white cabbage, finely shredded
- Half red onion, finely sliced half moon
- One carrot, grated
- Handful Rough chopped fresh coriander
- Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
- Salt
- Lime
- Optional: teaspoon black mustard seeds for warm slaw, red chilli, spring onion, black sesame seeds to garnish.
Method
To serve warm: Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the mustard seeds, they will start to pop.
Add the cabbage and turmeric making sure the seeds are mixed through. The cabbage will start to soften. Then stir through the carrot and some of the fresh coriander (save the leaves for garnish) squeeze over the lime and season with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly, then take off then heat and garnish as you wish
To serve room temperature:
In a large bowl, massage the cabbage with a good sprinkle of salt, allow to rest for a few minutes. This softens the leaves, a bit like the frying process. Mix through the grated carrot and some of the fresh coriander (save the leaves for garnish) squeeze over the lime and check seasoning as you have already salted your cabbage. Garnish as you wish.
Spiced Chicken
Ingredients- serves 2:
- – 4 chicken thighs
- – 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- – ½ teaspoon coriander powder
- – 1 clove of garlic, minced
- – 2cm of ginger, minced
- – Teaspoon oil
- – Salt and pepper to taste
– To stir-fry later:
- 1/2 red onion, sliced
- 1 clove of garlic, crushed
- 1/2 red pepper, sliced
- 1/2 red chilli, sliced
Method:
- Pre-heat oven to 180C.
- Mix your spices, oil, garlic and garlic and coat the chicken thighs.
- Marinade in the fridge, ideally overnight.
- Pop into the centre of the oven and it’s ready after about 20 minutes – it will look slightly browned and will be soft to the touch. Shred with 2 forks and set aside.
- Add a little bit of veg oil into a frying pan, sauté your onion until golden. Add garlic, chilli and ginger and cook for 2 more minutes before adding the chicken.
- Sauté until you are happy with the crispiness of the meat and serve immediately.
Korean BBQ Pulled Pork – Additional Filling
This is a great alternative to the Spiced Chicken
Ingredients – Serves 8
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1 (4 pound) pork shoulder roast
- 1 cup barbeque sauce
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 extra large onion, chopped
- 2 large cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme
Method
- Pour vegetable oil into the bottom of a slow cooker. Place pork roast into the slow cooker; pour in barbecue sauce, vinegar, and chicken broth. Stir in brown sugar, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, onion, garlic, and thyme. Cover and cook on Low for 10 to 12 hours or High for 5 to 6 hours until pork shreds easily with a fork.
- Remove pork from the slow cooker, and shred the meat using two forks. Return shredded pork to the slow cooker, and stir to combine with juices.
Slow-Cooked Beef or Pulled Jackfruit – Additional Filling
Ingredients – Serves 2-4
- 350g – 1kg beef short ribs cut into 5-6 pieces (ask your butcher) or a tin of pulled jackfruit
- 2 lemongrass stalks
- 1 small knob of fresh ginger, sliced thin
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
- 1/2 medium brown onion, sliced
- Rind of 1 small orange
- Juice of 1 small orange
- juice of 1/2 lime
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce or vegan fish sauce or mushroom sauce.
- 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon tamarind sauce
- Pinch of sea salt
- Pinch of chilli flakes
- Pinch of black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon of Chinese five-spice powder
- 1 cup of water
- You will need foil and large oven tray
To serve:
- 1/2 lime juice to drizzle at the end
- Fresh coriander for garnish
Method
- Preheat oven to 200 C.
- Place the beef in a large deep oven try and scatter lemongrass, orange peel, garlic, ginger and onion around. Squeeze orange and lime juice over everything. Combine fish sauce, sesame oil and tamarind sauce and pour over the ingredients. Sprinkle with sea salt, pepper, chilli and Chinese five-spice powder. Then pour the water over the top of everything.
- Cover the tray tightly with foil and place in the oven for 30 minutes at 200 C. Remove the tray and gently fold the foil to turn the ribs over. Cover back with foil and place back in the oven for another 20 minutes at 200°C.
- Then reduce the oven to 170C and cook the ribs for 2 hours, turning over halfway.
- Finally, remove the tray from the oven and uncover the foil. Cut the meat off the bone where it starts to come away (it will). Turn the heat back up to 200C, and cook the ribs exposed for a further 20 minutes.
Method for Jackfruit:
- Drain the jackfruit and add it into a bowl. Use your hands to break it into shreds that resemble shredded beef
- Place the jackfruit in a pan and scatter lemongrass, orange peel, garlic, ginger and onion around. Squeeze orange and lime juice over and the rest of ingredients. Combine vegan fish sauce, sesame oil and tamarind sauce and pour over. Sprinkle with sea salt, pepper, chilli and Chinese five-spice powder. Then pour the water over the top of everything. You might need a little more water if it gets dry. Simmer for 15 mins.
- Transfer the jackfruit to an oven tray and bake for 20 minutes to crisp up the edges.
- This is lovely with your Asian Slaw
Homemade Noodles
Ingredients – Serves 4
- 300 grams bread flour (also known as strong flour or high-gluten flour)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 150 ml water
Method
- Add the bread flour and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment (or a large regular mixing bowl) and whisk together to incorporate.
- Turn the mixer on low speed, and gradually add the water in two batches, giving the flour time to absorb the water with each addition. If doing this by hand, simply stir with your hands as you gradually add the water.
- The mixture will eventually form a shaggy dough after 5 minutes of kneading. If the mixer fails to bring it all together, turn off the mixer and push the dough together with your hands.
- Once the dough has formed a relatively cohesive ball (it will look lumpy), continue to knead by with the mixer for 10 minutes or by hand for 15 minutes. Avoid the temptation to add additional water, as this will affect the texture of your noodles.
- Cover the dough with an overturned bowl, and allow it to rest for 30 minutes. During this time, it will continue to absorb moisture, and become more pliable and elastic.
- After the dough has rested, knead it a few more times to get any air bubbles out of it. Form into a ball and cut the ball in half.
- On a floured surface, roll one half of the dough into a thin sheet, about 2mm thick––this will take time! Flour the surface of the sheet thoroughly, flip over, and thoroughly flour the other side.
- Once floured, fold the dough so you have 4 layers. Slice the noodles with a sharp knife to your desired thickness. We decided to cut them about ⅛-inch thick. As you’re cutting the noodles, gently separate them out with your hands and toss them in flour so they don’t stick.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles for 1 to 3 minutes, depending on the thickness. Keep an eye on the noodles as they cook and taste them to determine when they’re cooked (there is a lot of variation depending on how thinly they were rolled and cut, so test in real time to determine when they’re done). Serve in soup or with sauce as desired!
Caramel Lime Fish
Ingredients – Serves 2
If you don’t eat fish, you can simply substitute the fish for tofu or boneless chicken thighs
- 2 fillets of hake or cod, or x4/5 king prawns
- 40g palm sugar or brown sugar works
- 1 tbsp water
- 200 g / 14 oz coconut milk
- 1.5 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 shallot finely sliced
- Pinch of white pepper
Garnishes (Optional):
- 1 spring onion, sliced
- 1 large red chilli, finely sliced
- Coriander, chopped
- Lime juice and zest
Method
- Place sugar and water in a skillet over medium heat. Stir, then when it bubbles and the sugar is melted (it looks like caramel), add the rest of the ingredients
- Stir, then put the Fish into the pan, skin side down
- Adjust the heat to medium so it is simmering energetically. Not rapidly, not a slow simmer.
- Cooking time will vary, depending on the thickness of the fish, it’s 3-5 minutes
- Once sauce and fish are brown, remove from heat. Grate some lime zest into the pan and then roll your lime before squeezing in the lime juice.
- Place fish on plate, spoon over the sauce. Then toss your cooked noodles through the pan to coat in the remainder of the sauce with any suitable vegetables to warm through.
- Garnish with spring onion, chilli, coriander and lime juice and zest if using.
We hope you enjoyed the class!
If you have any feedback about the class or questions for chef get in touch. Email: lovetocook@foodsorcery.co.uk
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