I love a soft spongy bao bun but have not made them at home as I wasn’t sure of a good recipe. This fabulous one is from Hemp Chef Adam who whips up creations for The Hemp Farm. It’s a fun meal for the whole family that kids will especially love.

You can steam these buns easily with a ThermoMix or steam them in a bamboo steamer. For the fillings I love this recipe for pulled jackfruit, it’s divine!

Green Hemp Heart Bao Buns

250g Warm water
30g  Coconut sugar
2 tsp Dry yeast
520g Plain flour
60g  Kiwi Hemp Seed Oil
1 tsp Himalayan salt
1 tbs Baking powder
50g  Hemp Hearts
3 tsp Natural green food colouring, wheatgrass or matcha powder to dye the dough green
500ml  Extra water for steaming

Conventional Method

Mix warm water, yeast and sugar to a deep mixing bowl, whisk, then allow to froth for about 5 min in order to activate the yeast.

Add the frothy yeast mix to the plain flour, Kiwi Hemp Seed Oil, flaky sea salt, food colouring (of your choice) and knead inside the mixing bowl until well combined.

Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and put in the hot water cupboard or warm, draught free area and allow to prove for around 45 min.

Put water into a large pot and place a large bamboo steamer on top (or two depending on how many you make), wiping the inside bases with oil so the buns don’t stick to the bottom.

Knead the dough on an oiled bench or board. Divide the dough into approximately 15 – 18 small pieces. Roll into balls and flatten down into a circle or oval shape.

Put small pieces of baking paper onto half of each flattened oval and fold over on to itself (so that the baking paper is in between them like a clam).

Place the bao buns into Bamboo steamer baskets and steam for 30min over a gentle rolling boil, more like a simmer or steam.

ThermoMix Method

To make the bun dough, place the water, sugar and yeast into the Thermomix bowl and mix on Speed 3, 8 seconds. Allow to rest for 5 minutes or until the mixture has turned frothy.

Add the plain flour, Kiwi Hemp Seed Oil, salt, food colouring (of your choice) and baking powder into the Thermomix bowl and mix on Speed 6, 8 seconds, to combine. Mix on Interval (dough function) for 10 minutes.

Place the dough into a greased ThermoServer or large bowl and set aside in a warm dry place to rise for 45 minutes.

Knead the dough on an oiled bench or board. Divide the dough into approximately 15 – 18 small pieces. Roll into balls and flatten down into a circle or oval shape.

Cut pieces of baking paper into strips and place over the 2 layers of the Varoma trays (leaving gaps in between to allow the steam to escape). Or you can also oil the base of the Varoma.

Place small pieces of baking paper onto half of each flattened oval and fold over on to itself (so that the baking paper is in between them like a clam),

Place the bao buns onto the 2 trays of the Varoma.

Fill the ThermoMix bowl with 500g of water and put the Varoma (with the 2 trays) in place. Cook on Varoma, 30 minutes, Speed 4.

Cooking the buns

After 30min (which ever method you have chosen) take the buns out (they will be quite wet and sticky) and serve immediately with your favourite filling.

Try some pulled Jackfruit, slaw, Kewpie (Japanese) mayo or vegan mayo, fresh lime or lemon juice, fresh coriander and top with hemp hearts.

Note: The buns will feel wet when you take them out of the bamboo steamer or Varoma but will dry almost immediately as you allow them to rest for a few moments before filling them.

Enjoy! Hemp Chef, Adam

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