Vegan Cha Siu Bao

EmilyStrikesAgain's Note:

From VegNews- "Bao is a soft, round, and slightly sweet white roll. The outside is smooth, and the inside is stuffed with sweet or savory ingredients. These have quite the spicy kick, but since it comes wrapped in mouth-rescuing dough, you should survive."

• Total Time: 2 hrs 15 mins
• Prep Time: 2 hrs
• Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 12 buns

For the bun

• 1/4 cup unbleached cane sugar
• 1 3/4 cups warm water
• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast (quick-rise or conventional)
• 6 1/2 cups unbleached flour
• 2 tablespoons non-hydrogenated margarine
• 1 tablespoon baking powder

For the filling

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups seitan, cut into small pieces
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 1/4 cup hot chili sauce
• 1/4 cup vegan sour cream

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, dissolve cane sugar in warm water. Mix gently and add yeast. Allow mixture to rest for 10 minutes.
2. In a larger bowl, knead together the flour and margarine until mixture resembles small beads. Add yeast mixture and mix gently with a spoon. On a floured cutting board, knead dough until it's smooth and pliable. Form into a ball and place back into a larger bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for about two hours.
3. In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, heat vegetable oil. Add seitan, salt, and pepper, and pan-fry for about 3 minutes on each side. In a medium bowl, mix hoisin sauce, chili sauce, and sour cream. Add fried seitan and set aside.
4. On a cutting board sprinkled with baking powder, divide dough into 12 flat rounds. In the center of each round, add a heaping tablespoon of the seitan mixture. Pull the sides of the rounds up to completely encase the seitan mixture and twist the dough to seal.
5. Fill a large saucepan 1/4 of the way with water, place over high heat, and bring to a boil. In a metal colander over the pot seam buns for about 15 minutes.