Asian-style Chicken Bao

Totally addictive, with a delicious sweet-spicy crispy filling.

Ingredients

Bao buns:

¾ cup (180ml) milk

¼ cup (60ml) butter, melted

1 sachet (10g) instant yeast

2½ cups (375g) cake flour + extra for dusting

½ tsp (3ml) bicarbonate of soda

½ tsp (3ml) baking powder

3 Tbsp (45ml) sugar

1 tsp (5ml) fine salt

Canola oil, for brushing

Sauce:

2 Tbsp (30ml) sriracha sauce + extra for serving (optional)

2 Tbsp (30ml) honey

4 Tbsp (60ml) brown sugar

2 Tbsp (30ml) soy sauce

2 Tbsp (30ml) water

2 cloves garlic, grated

2cm knob fresh ginger, grated

1 Tbsp (15ml) canola oil

1 medium carrot, cut into matchsticks

½ packet (150g) PnP red and white coleslaw

1 mini cucumber, sliced into ribbonsHandful fresh coriander, roughly chopped

600g fried or baked PnP crumbed chicken strips, halved

1 Tbsp (15ml) sesame seeds

½ cup (125ml) plain yoghurt

Method

For the bao buns, warm milk to lukewarm temperature in a pot, add butter and yeast and stir to dissolve.

Sift flour, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder into a bowl.

Add sugar and salt.

Pour milk mixture into dry ingredients and mix to form a dough.

Transfer onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes, or until smooth and soft.

Leave to rise for about 1½ hours, or until doubled in size.

Cut 15x10cm squares of baking paper.

Set aside.Roll dough into a long sausage about 3cm thick.

Cut into 3cm pieces, shape into balls and set aside for 5 minutes.

Flatten each ball into an oval shape 4mm thick.

Lightly brush the tops with oil and lay a piece of baking paper on top.

Fold dough over loosely, with the paper in the middle, and place on a baking tray.

Cover and leave to rise for 30 minutes.

Place batches of bao buns in a bamboo steamer over a pot of boiling water and steam for 8 minutes.

For the sauce, place all ingredients in a saucepan and boil for 5 minutes.

Combine vegetables and coriander in a bowl to make slaw.

Stuff buns with slaw and chicken strips.

Drizzle over sauce (and extra sriracha, if you like) and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Serve bao with yoghurt on the side.