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Steamed Buns with Sesame Tofu

3.05 from 21 votes
These buns are a bit sweet, so they complement the sesame tofu (and other toppings) amazingly. They are also so fluffy and delicious- they can be enjoyed as an appetizer, side dish, or even as a full meal.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Rise Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours
Servings: 2 people
Course: Appetizer, dinner
Cuisine: asian
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

For the buns:
  • 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
  • 1/2 tbsp. warm water + another 1/4 cup
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 tbsp. organic sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 2 tbsp. soy milk
For the sesame tofu:
  • 1/2 block of tofu
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1 tsp. maple syrup
  • 1 tsp. rice vinegar
  • 2 tsp. sesame oil
  • ~1 tbsp. sesame seeds optional
Toppings:
  • Hoisin double check it’s vegan, some brands may not be
  • Kimchi we're obsessed with the brand Mother In Law‘s
  • 2 green onions chopped into about 1/2 in. pieces
  • Sriracha optional

Equipment

  • bamboo steamer

Method
 

For the steamed buns
  1. Combine yeast and 1/2 tbsp. warm water in a small bowl and mix. Let sit for about 5 minutes, so that the yeast dissolves.
  2. Mix the flour, sugar, and baking powder together in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer.
  3. Add the 1/4 cup water and milk to the yeast mixture.
  4. Pour the liquid mixture into the flour mixture and stir to form a soft dough. You can either do this by kneading with a machine on medium-low for about 6 minutes or kneading by hand on a lightly floured surface for about 7 minutes. The dough should be soft, so don’t add too much flour.
  5. Lightly oil a medium sized bowl.
  6. Shape the dough into a ball and put it into the oiled bowl, turning it so it gets covered with oil on all sides.
  7. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place for 1 and 1/2 hours (it should double in size). If you are making the sesame tofu, scroll down and follow instructions (tofu needs to be marinated during this time).
  8. Once the dough has doubled in size, divide it into 8 equal size balls. Once again, if you are making the tofu, scroll down as you should pre-heat the oven and cook the tofu now.
  9. One at a time, flatten each ball of dough into an oval about 4 in long and 1/4 in thick (we did this by using a rolling pin, but it should also work by hand).
  10. Fold in half crosswise (with the top half just short of meeting the bottom edge).
  11. Once all the buns have been formed, cover them tightly in plastic wrap and allow to rise for another 30 minutes.
  12. Steam the buns: Fill a deep saucepan with about two inches of water and boil on high.
  13. Put parchment paper on your bamboo steamer and put the buns on the parchment paper (about an inch apart).
  14. Place the bamboo steamer* in the water and steam for ~7 minutes (until nice and fluffy).
  15. Serve each bun with 2-3 pieces of tofu, hoisin, green onion and sriracha (optional, but amazing).
For the sesame tofu
  1. Mix all ingredients for the marinade together in a large bowl (everything under ingredient list minus the tofu and sesame seeds).
  2. Slice the tofu into about 1/4-1/2 inch strips (or really whatever size you would like them) and then put into the bowl with the marinade.
  3. Swish the marinade around a bit so that it covers all of the tofu. Cover and let marinade sit in the fridge while your dough is rising.
  4. Once the tofu is done marinating, pre-heat oven to 400° and lightly grease an 8×8 in. glass baking dish.
  5. Place tofu on the greased baking dish (you can pour any excess marinade on top of the tofu) and put into the oven (once it is pre-heated).
  6. Let the tofu cook for 25 minutes. Then take it out and top with sesame seeds.
  7. Put the tofu back in the oven for another 5-10 minutes (or until it looks rather crispy and is cooked to your liking).