How to make Vegan ‘Pork’ Jian Bao – pan-fried buns

Pinterest

Yummly

Facebook

Twitter

Thank you to OmniFoods for sponsoring this post and a big thanks to you for trying out my recipes. It means A LOT when I see all the delicious remakes on @woon.heng. This vegan ‘pork’ jian bao recipe is a must-try!

When I first saw OmniFoods in Asia, I was hoping they would expand to the US, and yay, they are now available at all Sprouts and select WholeFoods Market locations nationwide. I’m really grateful that I get to work with this brand to create even more delicious recipes with you using their products.

You know I love dumplings, buns, or anything that is wrapped together! These vegan ‘pork’ jian bao are now our family’s number one favorite food to have!

Made with OmniPork Ground, these buns are fluffy and have a scrumptious filling. You won’t believe how simple it is to recreate these scrumptious buns at home with the steps below. OmniPork Ground is made from a blend of proteins from peas, non-GMO soy, shiitake mushrooms, and rice that has a whopping 11 grams of protein per serving. They are now available at your nearest Sprouts and WholeFoods Market locations.

If you have tried using vegetables to fill up the buns or dumplings, you’ll notice that I love to use tofu as a binder. Well, today, you can simply use the vegan ‘pork’ ground that amazingly binds together and stays intact nicely. Just look at how it retains the sauces in the buns here. Are you drooling yet? Let’s make the buns now…

How to make Vegan ‘Pork’ Jian Bao

Step 1: Prepare the dough

This is the similar Sheng Jian Bao‘s dough that many of you have remade with success! It has a fluffy texture and works well with either plant milk or water. You can use a stand mixer or knead the dough by hand.

First, bloom the yeast in the warm liquid with sugar while you measure the flour in a mixing bowl. Both instant and active dry works great in this recipe. Although you don’t need to bloom instant yeast in water, it’s still a good way to check that it’s still active this way.

Before adding the yeast mixture and oil, stir the flour and salt to combine. Then, fit the mixer with a dough hook and knead until there are no dry spots of flour left in the bowl. You may continue to knead until a smooth dough forms or take it out and knead by hand on a floured surface. It’s quite therapeutic to work with flour so I love to knead by hand at some point.

Place the dough back to the bowl, cover with a tight lid and let it proof until double its size, about 45-60 minutes depending on the weather.

Step 2: Make the filling

I’m using the traditional way of making the filling using OmniPork Ground and season it with wine, pepper, dark and regular soy sauce, vegan oyster sauce, toasted sesame oil, and finally a few dashes of pepper.

Add the chopped scallions and use a pair of chopsticks to stir the ingredients in one direction to mix them together. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or until ready to use.

Step 3: Assemble the vegan ‘pork’ buns

When ready, transfer the dough onto a work surface, and knead it again to remove the air bubbles. Divide into 14 equal pieces and roll each into a ball. Here, I like to knead again to ensure the tiny bubbles are popped.

Take a ball, flatten it with your palm. Using a rolling pin, roll it into a 4-inch diameter circle.

Top with a heaping spoon of filling, then wrap to seal the dumpling. Continue with the remaining dough. Be sure to cover the wrapped dough with a towel to prevent them from drying out.

Step 4: Cook and serve

Now, take a 10-inch non-stick skillet and add a tablespoon of oil. Swirl the pan so the oil covers the bottom of the pan. Place the 14 small dumplings in the pan in one single layer with a slight gap. These tiny gaps will help push the buns up when cooked.

Set the skillet on the stove and turn heat to medium-high. After about 1-2 minutes, add 1/2 cup of water into the pan and it should sizzle, so be extra careful. You can also take a peek to see if you have successfully browned the bun’s bottom before adding the liquid.

Cover with lid. If you have a tight lid, use a fork to create a gap in between the cover and pan. Cook the buns over medium heat until they fluff up and the water has evaporated. You should hear less and less sizzle when the buns are almost done.

Turn off the heat, uncover and garnish with chopped scallions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve them warm with a side of chile oil in soy sauce for a delicious meal.

Vegan Pork Jian Bao Cooking Tips

1. The filling seasoning – I used dark soy sauce, soy sauce, and vegan ‘oyster’ sauce (Vegetarian Stir-fry sauce) from Lee Kum Kee. Please check my vegan ‘oyster’ sauce for homemade version. Dark soy sauce is for color, so you can omit if you can’t find one near you.
2. Replace ShaoXing wine with either broth of water if you can’t have any
3. Please check my Sheng Jian Bao recipe for cooking tips on buns.

Why You Need this Vegan ‘Pork’ Jian Bao recipe

• Made with simple ingredients
• Easy and delicious
• Vegan and Dairy Free
• Crispy bottom with a juicy filling – Flip to show the crispy bottom for a beautiful presentation like the Sheng Jian Bao

If you try this recipe, I would love to hear your feedback and see your beautiful re-creation. Leave me a comment, rate it, and tag @woon.heng and #woonheng to your photos on Instagram or Facebook. Happy cooking, friends!

Vegan ‘Pork’ Jian Bao – Pan-fried buns

These vegan 'pork' jian bao or pan-fried buns are so delicious with a juicy filling on the inside and a fluffy texture on the outside. They make a perfect dish for any meal of the day.

5 from 5 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Breakfast, Main Course

Cuisine: Asian, Chinese

Keyword: Bao, Buns

Servings: 3

Author: woonheng

Ingredients

Dough

• 2 cups all-purpose flour or plain flour see notes
• 3 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon instant yeast
• ⅔ cup warm unsweetened plant-based milk or water think of bathwater temperature
• a pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon oil plus more for cooking

Filling

• 1 pack 10oz OmniPork Ground
• 1½ teaspoons grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon ShaoXing wine
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon vegan oyster sauce
• a drizzle of toasted sesame oil
• a few dashes of white pepper
• 8 stalks of scallions finely chopped – separated

Other ingredient

• oil for cooking

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Option 1: Knead the dough with a mixer

• Mix sugar and yeast in warm water/unsweetened plant-based milk until well-combined. If this is the first time using your yeast, let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes. If you see a foamy top, then, your yeast is good, if not, then it’s expired.
• Mix flour and salt until well-combined in a large mixing bowl. Then, add in the yeast mixture and a teaspoon of oil.
• Using a dough hook, knead the mixture into a soft dough. Transfer dough onto a cleaned surface until knead until you get a smooth top. Adding more flour as needed.
• Place the dough back in the bowl, cover with a lid, and proof until double its size.

Option 2: Knead the dough with hand

• Mix sugar and yeast in warm water/unsweetened plant-based milk until well-combined.
• Place flour and salt on a cleaned surface like a mound.
• Using your palm or a bottom of a bowl, make a hole in the middle. Slowly pour in the yeast mixture while bringing the flour from the side to the middle.
• Knead into a soft and smooth dough then place it in a bowl. Adding more flour as needed. Cover and let it proof until double its size.

Prepare the filling

• Empty a package of OmniPork Ground in a large bowl, then add the ginger and all the seasonings. Using a pair of chopsticks or spatula, stir the ingredients in one direction until well-combined. Then, fold in the chopped scallions. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or until ready to use.
• Transfer proofed dough onto a floured surface, roll it into a log and divide into 14 equal portions. Then, roll each dough into a ball and set aside, covered. Knead it a few times to remove air bubbles, then divide it into 14 equal portions. Roll each dough into a ball by pulling the edge and tuck under the dough. This step will further remove additional air bubbles if there are any.
• Before assembling the buns, take out the filling from the fridge. Always work with one ball at a time and cover the rest. Flatten a ball with your palm and roll it into a 4-inch circle with a rolling pin. Place a heaping spoonful of filling the middle and wrap to seal the buns tightly. Continue with the remaining ingredients until you get 14 buns.

Cook and serve

• To cook the buns, add a tablespoon of oil in a 10-inch non-stick skillet. Fit the 14 buns in the skillet, slightly apart. Set the skillet on the stove over medium heat. Cook for 1-2 minutes then add in the water from the side of the skillet to avoid touching the buns. It should start to sizzle as soon as the water goes in. Alternatively, check the bottom of the bun to make sure they are slightly golden before adding the water.
• Cover the pan with a lid and cook until the buns fluff up and water has evaporated. Place a fork in between the lid and pan during cooking if you have a tight lid.
• Garnish with chopped scallions and toasted sesame seeds then serve warm with a side of chile oil in soy sauce.

Video

Notes

• I highly recommend that you weigh your flour (240g) or use the spoon and scrape method to measure it (spoon the flour to a measuring cup).
• Proofing time varies based on temperature.
• If you can’t have Shaoxing wine, please substitute with veggie broth or omit
• If you notice that you are not able to get a smooth top right after you mix the ingredients together. Leave the dough covered for 10 minutes, then try again. This method is similar to my jiao zi’s recipe.

Feel free to pin the below picture on your Pinterest Board for easy reference.

Pinterest

Yummly

Facebook

Twitter