How to Prepare and Cook Jamie Oliver’s Famous Vegan Steamed Buns

Based on this article on Dim Sum Chef, dim sum’s history dates back more than 2,500 years ago. This unique ancient Chinese culinary art, in more ways than one, reflects the music and poetry of that era in such a way that it’s made with passion, finesse, and beauty. Back then it was a luxury exclusive for royalty and other wealthy families. Flash forward to present times, dim sum made its way from private dinner tables in China to public teahouses to restaurants all over the world. Some of the most well loved varieties include dumplings, rice rolls, and, of course, steamed buns.

Even without being knowledgeable in traditional cuisine, many people know that dim sum is generally best served steamed. People often have the notion that it’s a healthy dish, considering mobile apps such as Technicat’s Talk Dim Sum and Win Sum Dim on slots platform Pocketfruity show it being paired with a cup of tea and cooked in bamboo. Unfortunately though, this bite-size sustenance isn’t exactly “healthy”.

All things considered, it’s somewhat sad to know that dim sum dishes aren’t as guilt-free as you would think. Luckily, avant garde chefs have found ways, and special culinary methods to make these a healthy option for everyone. One of those knowledgeable enough to transform this dish is celebrity chef, Jamie Oliver. He made vegan-inspired mushroom buns perfect for those who want to eat healthy, yet crave for that mouthwatering dim sum.

Ingredients

The ingredients, according to Jamie Oliver’s website, are as follows:

• Two cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped;
• One thumb-sized ginger, peeled and diced
• One-half bunched coriander, diced stalks and torn leaves
• One dash of groundnut oil
• 450 grams of chestnut and shitake mushrooms, sliced
• Two tablespoons of rice wine vinegar
• Two tablespoons of sweet chili sauce
• 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
• Four spring onions, sliced finely
• 1 red chili, deseeded and sliced finely
• One tablespoon of sesame oil
• 400 grams of light coconut milk
• 500 grams of self-raising flour
• One pinch of sea salt
• Two tablespoons of toasted sesame seeds
• Hoisin sauce to serve

How to Cook

As for the actual process, Jamie Oliver provides a step-by-step approach to preparing and cooking this dish.

1. Heat the groundnut oil in a large pan on top of medium heat. Fry the chopped garlic, ginger, and coriander stalks until golden brown. Stir in the mushrooms and wait until cooked.
2. Pour in the rice wine vinegar, low-sodium soy sauce, and sweet chili sauce. Let it simmer and wait for it to caramelize the mushrooms. Set aside in a bowl.
3. Toss in the white sliced parts of the spring onions and one-half of the sliced red chili into the bowl, and then stir in the sesame oil.
4. In a separate bowl, mix the coconut milk, flour, and salt. Roll the mixture into a sausage-like shape on a floured surface, before dividing it in equally formed balls – usually one-half centimeter thick – and flattening it out.
5. Put in one tablespoon of the filling inside every bun, making sure to leave at least a two-centimeter gap around the edge. Fold the edges over and pinch to seal. Position them upside down on a lightly greased muffin liner and inside bamboo steamers.
6. In a wok, boil a liter of water and then place the bamboo steamers on top. Reduce to medium heat and let it steam for 12 minutes.
7. To cap it all off, sprinkle the sesame seeds, coriander leaves, and one-half of the spring onions and chili on top of the buns. Set hot with hoisin sauce and enjoy.

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