Coconut Bao, Hoisin Chicken & Sichuan Pineapple Salsa

Olivia Moore

Makes

6

Ingredients

COCONUT BAO
75ml (¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon) coconut milk (from a can, not the drinking kind), warm
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 teaspoons white sugar
100ml (¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons) warm water
300g (2½ cups) plain white flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as rice bran or sunflower
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
SICHUAN PINEAPPLE SALSA
125g fresh peeled pineapple (about ¼ whole), chopped
½ small red onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon white sugar
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
½ teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns, crushed in a mortar and pestle
⅛ teaspoon salt
HOISIN CHICKEN
2 tablespoons Sichuan Spiced Chilli Oil (see recipe)
1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
15g (about a 4cm piece) peeled fresh ginger, finely grated
1 shallot, thinly sliced
400g chicken mince
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
15g (⅓ cup) finely chopped fresh coriander, plus extra to serve
¼ teaspoon salt
cracked black pepper
TO SERVE
2–3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
¼ small red cabbage, thinly shredded
1 small red capsicum, cored, deseeded and thinly sliced
1 small carrot, ribboned
½ cucumber, thinly sliced
SICHUAN SPICED CHILLI OIL makes 300 ml (1¼ cups)
275ml (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) neutral oil (such as rice bran)
1 shallot, roughly chopped
2 whole star anise
1 cinnamon stick
10g (about a 2.5cm piece) fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons Sichuan peppercorns
2 cloves
3 cloves garlic, chopped
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
½ teaspoon salt
1–2 tablespoons hot chilli flakes (depending on your desired level of heat)

NOTE

Keep the water at a gentle simmer while you’re steaming these buns; if it becomes too hot, you will end up with tough buns!

As a teenager I went through an obsessive ‘bao phase’, resulting in the creation of this bao bun recipe. I still love it to this day!

View the recipe collection here

Instructions

1.To make the coconut bao, mix the coconut milk, yeast and sugar with the warm water in a small jug. Set aside for 10 minutes, until frothy.
2.Combine the dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
3.Turn the speed on to low, and slowly pour in the yeast mixture.
4.Add the oil, and rice wine vinegar and once a shaggy dough is formed increase the speed to medium and knead for 10 minutes until soft, smooth and elastic.
5.Alternatively knead by hand – this will likely take about 15 minutes.
6.Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and leave in a warm spot for 1½ hours, until doubled in size.
7.Meanwhile, prepare the Sichuan pineapple salsa. Mix together all ingredients in a small bowl and leave to infuse for 2–3 hours, while the bao buns are rising and cooking.
8.Once doubled in size, transfer the bao dough to a lightly floured surface and divide into 6 portions.
9.Roll each portion into a ball, and use a rolling pin to roll each into an oval about the size of a mobile phone (about 8cm wide, 14cm long and 2cm thick).
10.Cut 12 squares of baking paper, each 10cm across.
11.Brush the surface of each dough portion lightly with oil, then place one square of baking paper over one half of each.
12.Fold the other half over the top; the baking paper prevents the two halves from sticking. Place the folded bao on top of another square of baking paper and place on a large tray.
13.Repeat with your remaining bao and baking paper squares.
14.Brush the tops of the bao with oil, and cover the tray with cling film.
15.Leave the tray in a warm spot to prove for a further 30 minutes.
16.To cook the bao, half-fill a saucepan with water and place a bamboo steamer on top.
17.Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer over low heat.
18.Keeping the buns on top of their baking paper squares, place them on your steaming racks, giving them enough space to grow.
19.Depending on the capacity of your steamer, you may need to cook in 2 batches.
20.Steam them for 10–12 minutes, until soft and fluffy.
21.Keep an eye on the heat: if too hot, the buns will become tough.
22.Meanwhile, prepare the hoisin chicken. Heat the Sichuan Spiced Chilli Oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat.
23.Add the garlic and ginger and sizzle for 20 seconds, then add the shallot.
24.Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, until fragrant.
25.Add the chicken mince and cook, stirring, for 3–4 minutes, until it is no longer pink.
26.Add the hoisin sauce, soy sauce and rice wine vinegar.
27.Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5–7 minutes, until nicely golden brown.
28.Stir through the coriander, salt and a good season of black pepper.
29.When the buns have finished cooking, remove the baking paper and spread the inside of each bun with a little hoisin sauce.
30.Fill each bun with a little cabbage, capsicum, carrot and cucumber (leaving enough room for the chicken filling), then add a generous amount of the chicken.
31.Finish each with a good spoonful of Sichuan Pineapple Salsa, pouring in some of the juices, and scatter over some fresh coriander.
32.Season with salt and black pepper and enjoy warm.
33.SICHUAN SPICED CHILLI OIL
34.Pour 75ml (5 tablespoons) oil into a small saucepan and add everything except the salt and chilli flakes.
35.Set over medium heat and bring to a sizzle, then reduce to medium-low.
36.Bubble gently for 15 minutes until fragrant and just starting to brown.
37.Add the remaining oil and the salt, and gently bubble for 1 hour.
38.Place the chilli flakes in a heatproof bowl.
39.Remove the bubbling oil from the heat, and allow to cool slightly until between 100-150°C, depending on how deeply toasted you want your chilli flakes.
40.If you don’t have a thermometer, test the oil temperature by adding a small pinch of chilli flakes to the oil – if the flakes sizzle but don’t burn, it’s at the right temperature.
41.Set a strainer over the bowl with the chilli flakes and pour over the hot oil. The chilli flakes will sizzle and toast.
42.Allow to cool before transferring to a jar and storing at room temperature. Use within 6 weeks.

This is an edited
extract from That
Green Olive by Olivia
Moore, published
by Penguin, RRP
$50. Photography
by Olivia Moore.

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