Crispy Baked Beet Green Chips

We had a full day of green eating a few weeks ago and it doesn’t seem to stop. When we cooked up mustard greens we also made a batch of beet green chips as a test. This test turned out to be a nice surprise and worthy of sharing, so here’s what we have to say: Don’t waste those beet greens, crisp them into chips. That’s what we did when our garden beet roots are still to young to harvest but we have so many tender beet greens to pluck.  It started with a few handful of seeds tossed in the garden, followed by ridiculously climate-changing warm weather.

Now we’re swimming in tender greens that normally would be peaking in March. So in celebration of our love of kale chips, we’re extending our craving for green munchies by using up all the beet greens before the bugs get to them. Kale chips are one of our favorite munchies because not only are they lighter than potato chips, we just love the taste . But it doesn’t hurt to mix it up a bit, especially when we can harvest a ton of beet greens this time of year.

Our first thought was what would beet green chips taste like? Normally beet greens are a little tougher and more leathery, but when plucked from the garden beet itself, we’re hoping for some better results. And even if the greens are a little tougher? Would it be worth the effort to make them into chips?

The answer to that question depends on how open minded you are. We loved these batch of baked beet greens, but we weren’t expecting them to be as light and crispy as kale chips. Neither were we expecting the flavor to be the same. So we went into this recipe with lower expectations and when the batch came out of the oven, we were thrilled at how delicious they were.

Beet greens are going to be a little thicker, so when baked, they don’t have the same “melt-in-your-mouth” texture like you would get from kale chips. And the flavor of baked beet chips are a little more grassy tasting. That’s what makes them unique and a light snack when you have some beet greens to use up.

This is one of those recipes that come in handy when you don’t want to waste your greens and make use of everything, from leaves down to root!

Enjoy!

Lexi was so curious about beet greens.

off to the oven with the greens

Yield: Serves 2

Total Time: 45 min

See post for additional recipe details.

About 1 large bunch of beets greensolive oilkosher or sea saltfresh cracked black pepperPre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Line one or two baking sheet pans with parchment paper.Wash beet greens and blot with towels to remove excess water. Remove inner rib of beet stems if they are thick and tough. Smaller, more tender beet greens can be baked with the inner rib intact.Add all the beet greens in a large bowl. Start by tossing or spraying about 1 tablespoon of olive oil at a time, making sure the beet greens are lightly coated with oil. But do not over oil the leaves or they will become too greasy when baked.Lay the beet greens in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle salt and pepper over beet greens to taste. Season on both sides of the beet leaves.Bake the beet greens for about 15 minutes, turn the beet greens and continue baking for 10 minutes or until the greens are crisp.

View the original article here

Baked Kuri Kabocha Squash and Apple Maple Pudding (and it's vegan too)

(The 10 year anniversary of JustHungry is at the end of this month. To commemorate this event I’m highlighting some of my favorite posts from the archives. This very healthy squash pudding or crustless pie would make a very good side dish for Thanksgiving dinner. It’s vegan, so anyone can enjoy it without worry! It is not that sweet - probably less sweet than many traditional side dishes. I hope you give it a try! Originally on published November 19, 2007, and tweaked a bit since. If you want this to be gluten-free, choose an appropriate type of miso. The miso adds a small but critical bit of umami and richness.)

You know how certain diehard carnivores react to words like ‘vegan’ ‘no dairy’ and, gasp, ‘tofu in a sweet dish’. There’s no reason to tell them that all of these phrases are applicable to this smooth, creamy baked squash pudding, until they’ve actually eaten and enjoyed. It even is devoid of white sugar, though it is sweetened with maple syrup. The simple combination of creamy squash pudding, flavored and sweetened with real maple syrup with the pure sweetness of the squash shining through, and sweet-sourness of the apples works perfectly together. (The tofu merely adds the creamy texture; you don’t taste it at all.) It’s rich, but rests very lightly on your stomach - not a bad thing after a heavy main course.

This recipe is adapted quite heavily from one in a Japanese cookbook, Saisai Sweets (Vegetable Sweets), by the wonderful Yumiko Kano, who I have mentioned previously. The original recipe called for soy milk, but I’ve used silken tofu instead for a richer, thicker consistency. I’ve omitted other things like rum-soaked raisins, and upped the maple syrup for more sweetness.

This will make a pudding or a crustless pie that is about 10 inches / 28cm or so in diameter, enough for 6 to 8 servings (though I’ve seen one disappear in one person recently).

I’ve given weight measurements rather than cup measurements, because the proportion of squash to tofu is what’s the most important thing here. Scale up or down according to your needs.

1 lb (450-500g) of cooked red kuri or Hokkaido squash, skin on, or roasted butternut squash or other sweet, dense kabocha or winter squash, flesh only (see below for how to cook the squash)1 block (300g / about 11 oz) silken tofu, well drained1/4 tsp. cinnamonA few gratings of nutmeg (about 1/4 tsp.) 2 Tbs. neutral tasting vegetable oil, such as sunflower 1/2 tsp. sea salt1 Tbs. mild, smooth white miso 8 Tbs. real maple syrup (not ‘pancake syrup’ or ‘imitation maple syrup’), plus extra for drizzling on top2 medium sweet eating apples 1 Tbs. lemon juice

Equipment needed: food processor, a pie or quiche or tart dish

If you are doing this for Thanksgiving, cook the squash ahead of time - up to 2-3 days in advance.

To cook the red kuri squash, either: cut in half and scoop out the seeds and fluffy bits in the middle. Poke several holes in the skin side with the point of your knife. Lay cut side down in a baking dish filled with about 1/2 inch / 1 cm of water. Bake at 350° F / 180° C until soft - a skewer poked through the skin side should go through easily. Drain away any left over water.

Alternate method in a pan: de-seed, de-fluffy bit and cut up the squash into about 1 inch / 2cm chunks. Put in a very heavy pan (such as a cast iron enamel one) with enough water to come up to about 1/2 of the squash chunks. Simmer, lid on, until the chunks are tender; drain away any excess water.

If you are using butternut squash, which has a much harder skin than red kuri squash, bake in the oven cut in half as above until tender.

Cool the squash after cooking to about room temperature. Store, tightly covered, in the refrigerator.

To make the pudding:

Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C (if it’s not already on of course.)

Put the cooked squash (skin and all if you are using red kuri squash - see notes), tofu, oil, salt, miso and maple syrup into the bowl of a food processor with the steel chopping blade. Process until totally smooth - you may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times. Taste at this point, and see if you want to add more maple syrup (but remember you will be drizzling more syrup on top later).

In the meantime, peel and core two medium eating apples. (I used Cox’s Orange. You want a sweet, eating apple, not a hard, sour cooking apple here. Golden Delicious is a universally available type that will work fine here.) Slice into thin wedges, and toss into some acidulated water (water with a little lemon juice in it) to stop the slices from turning brown. Drain well and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel.

Fill the tart or pie dish with the pumpkin cream. Arrange the apples in a nice pattern on the cream, pushing down each slice a bit (they will sink a little, but this is a very dense cream.) Drizzle the top with more maple syrup. Alternatively, sprinkle with maple sugar if you have it.

Bake for about 30 minutes, until the top is lightly browned.

This pudding, or crustless pie, is great warm, at room temperature or chilled.

If you don’t have real maple syrup, try a flavorful clear runny honey instead. If you can’t get a hold of kuri squash, you can substitute another squash, preferably a kabocha type, that is denser and sweeter than most other types. Try butternut squash, rouge d’Etampes or Muscat (Musque de Provence). Do not use regular pumpkin - it is far too watery and fibrous. The orange skin of the kuri squash cooks up quite soft, and the orange adds to the vibrant color of the pudding. If using other, more tough-skinned squash varieties, or you have a green-skinned variety and want to keep the pudding orange-colored just scoop out the flesh and discard the skin. If you don’t care about keeping it all vegan, use butter instead of the oil. Dot the top with more butter, for a really rich flavor.Try ripe pears instead of apples.

View the original article here

Baked Eggs in Avocado with Bacon on Toast

Wait, don’t click away yet. Hold on to that thought. Allow me to explain this dish to you before judge a warm avocado meal.

I know, it may sound awkward to be spreading hot avocado on toast, dripping with egg yolk and scattered with bacon bits. It may even sound blasphemous to some of you who are avocado purists. Why ruin a sacred Hass avocado, that’s perfectly ripe, buttery and creamy with oven-heat and egg? I know, I know, but read on….

On Sunday I was staring at four perfectly ripe avocados. The standard, but always favorite, homemade guacamole came to mind for lunch. Or even more indulgent, avocado egg rolls. The end of January is coming to a close (do you believe this?!), many of us have gone off-tangent from our 2013 health goals, so I decided to just blow away the rest of January with a two-thousand calorie meal. Why not? I was feeling mighty daring.

I asked twitter and facebook what to do with the avocados and all you amazing people came to my rescue with some incredible ideas. Inspired to make the most out of my stash of avocados, I also turned to the CA Avocado Commission recipe index to find more recipe inspiration.  One of the first recipes I came across was for this Avocado bacon and eggs recipe.

It had my favorite three ingredients but as I read further, I found out it was baked. Baked? BAKED?

The thought of eating a baked avocado didn’t sound appealing. But after looking at the recipe further, I was imagining what it would taste like when the egg was runny, like a poached-egg style. The bacon bits on top for extra crunch and salt was even more interesting. It all sounded way too rich for me and after 2 bites, I’d probably regret wasting a perfectly wonderful avocado.

But my curiosity got the best of me and I just had to try it. Have you ever been both scared and fascinated by something that you can’t stop thinking about it? Well I had that relationship with this recipe and I couldn’t get it out of my mind. So I had to try it because if I didn’t, I’d keep myself up at night wondering what it tasted like. Yes, I’m that type of person that keeps thinking about something so much that I eventually have to make it happen, or else I’ll drive my self bonkers.

I decided to spread it over toast and figured this would be a wonderful base for something so decadent. And what did I think of it after I tasted it? Wonderful.

Really, I never thought I’d take heart to a warm avocado. But the warm egg, all mushed together with the avocado and bacon bits really paired well together on the crisp toast. It was like a smashed avocado sandwich, but with the added bonus of a “poached egg” texture on top and bacon to make it all happier. I really enjoyed these baked eggs and was so surprised at how pleasant warm avocado tasted.

Todd even enjoyed it and ate his half with the same enthusiasm as I did.

So there you have it. I’m thankful that I didn’t judge the recipe and gave it a second chance. Now I can say that I have a wonderful breakfast option for anyone who loves avocados.

Try it!

-diane

cooking note: rest the avocado half inside the edge of a baking dish so that the avocado doesn’t tilt over & spill eggs

Yield: Serves 2

Total Time: 30 min

1 medium or large avocado2 small eggs2 sliced of bacon, cooked then crumbled2 slices of toastsea salt, to tastefresh cracked black pepper, to tastehot sauce, optionalfresh chopped tomatoes, optionalPre-heat oven to 425 degrees.Crack the eggs in a medium bowl, careful to not puncture the yolks. Set aside.Cut avocado in half and carefully remove seed. Depending on how big the seed is, the hole in the avocado should be big enough for one small egg. But if the hole looks too small, scoop out a little at a time till it matches the amount of egg.In a medium baking dish, try to rest the avocado half inside the edge of the dish so that the avocado doesn't tilt over. You need to keep the avocado from tilting so that the raw egg does not spill out. Look at the photo above to see how I did it.You can crack the egg directly in the avocado, but it might overflow and make a mess. So this technique will be useful: With a medium spoon, gently scoop out one of the yolks and place it into the hole of the avocado. Then continue spooning the egg whites into the avocado hole till it's full. Repeat for both avocado halves.Add salt and fresh cracked black pepper on top of the eggs, to taste.Gently place the baking dish in oven and bake for about 15 minutes. Baking time will vary depending on how much egg you have and how big your avocado is. So keep checking the egg to see if it's cooked to your desired consistency.Sprinkle crumbled bacon on top. Spread the avocado/egg onto toast. Add addition salt and pepper to taste, chopped tomatoes, hot sauce, if needed. Enjoy!

View the original article here

Baked Chicken Nuggets

Baked Chicken Nuggets pictures (1 of 4)

As a mother to a growing toddler, I am always frustrated that I can’t get real chicken nuggets at the stores. I don’t know why, but I haven’t been able to find a brand that produces chicken nuggets using unprocessed chicken meat.  If you are a mother, you probably share my frustration, as all kids love chicken nuggets and they should be eating real chicken instead of sodium-loaded-blended-chicken-meat coated with thick batter!

Anyway, chicken nugget is my secret weapon whenever I run out of ideas what to feed my son, or whenever I feel lazy to cook a complete meal for him. Another thing, my picky eater always welcome a few pieces of chicken nuggets, dipping in his favorite teriyaki sauce.

Here is the baked chicken nuggets recipe using real chicken. You don’t even have to deep fry the chicken nuggets as the baked version is equally tasty and not greasy. Plus, it’s something that you can whip up in about 30 minutes and you won’t feel guilty feeding your chicken store-bought “fake” chicken nuggets.  Try it and I am sure your kids will love the homemade chicken nuggets.

(Click Page 2 for the Baked Chicken Nuggets Recipe)

Pages: 1 2

View the original article here

Baked Sriracha Spaghetti Squash with Turkey & Kid/Puppy Training

My conversation with Mom last week ended up with her asking, again, when Todd and I were going to have kids. Like every Mom I know, there’s joys at being a Grandmother that can never be explained. I understand this happiness and it’s never a bad thing to yearn to hold a Grand-baby of your very own. But the topic of her birthday and Christmas came up and I had to kindly remind her that there’s no way for Santa to deliver in time. And of course, we’re always practicing.

As we were talking about kids, I was thinking about puppy Lexi and the joys of being puppy-parents. If kids are in our near future, we’re certainly ready for it thanks to the training our dogs have put us through.

Guilty puppy thief. Oh, my poor flip flop.

Chewed sandals, bitten socks and anything that resembles a dog-toy has had it’s fair share of puppy slobber on it. Sierra has been extra patient with puppy Lexi tackling and biting her ankles. And lips. And ears. Poor Sierra can’t get an afternoon of rest because this monster puppy is relentless at getting someone to play with her. Now that Lexi is becoming the tall Ridgeback her genes have determined for her to be, we’re having to clear anything from the edges of the tables. She’s just starting to discover her size and strength.

The owners manual that came with Lexi never said anything about 8 hours of playtime and missing shoes. And her middle name is now “no”. It’s Lexi no, Lexi No, Lexi NO!

Oy, the joys of puppyhood. But here’s the bright side of it all: when we do have kids of our own, we’ll be well prepared for kid training thanks to our dogs dysfunctional behavior.

We’ll teach our kids to “sit” very well. If they mis-behave in public, we’ll draw onto our Cesar Milan spirit of “pssshht!” and on command, make then sit.

When they turn to their terrible two’s, we’ll have plenty of training harnesses to tie them to and keep them from running like wild horses in public. We’ve seen all your crazy, hyper kids terrorize stores in public. We would never let that happen. That what lead collars and body harnesses are for, right?

Isn’t that the strategy to all this kid raising? If so, then we’re way ahead of you all. Well, I think we are. With raising three dogs now under our belt, training little kids should be a cinch. That’s until they ask for an iphone, a laptop and a new car. Or get a girlfriend/boyfriend.

Oy again, there really should be a reliable training manual for newbies.

In the meantime, enjoy this quick and healthy dinner of spaghetti squash and turkey. My love of spicy foods is evident and when I have a chance, I’m always reaching for my homemade sriracha hot sauce. This is a great meal to warm up the house, to satisfy bellies and keep it exciting with a kick of spice.

If you’re not keen on spicy food, then you can easily omit the hot sauce. The combination of spaghetti squash is wonderful as-is and best of all, it’s quite healthy.

During these cooler days, it’s nice to warm up the house with oven cooking without having to eat anything heavy or starchy. This baked spaghetti squash recipe is perfect and satisfying.

have a great week,

diane

Yield: Serves 4-6

Total Time: 1 hour

1 medium spaghetti squash1 pound ground turkey1 medium onion, minced2 cloves garlic, minced2 Tablespoons olive oil3 Teaspoons Fish Sauce3 Tablespoons Sriracha or hot sauce , add extra to tastePreheat Oven to 375°F. Oil a sheet pan with first 1 T of olive oil. Slice spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. (Use the tip of the knife to first pierce and get the cut started. Once you get the first cut started the rest of the squash should slice easily.) Scoop out the seeds and strands, then place cut side down on the prepared sheet pan.Bake for 45 minutes, or until the squash flesh separates easily into strands with a fork. Finish loosening and removing the "spaghetti" from the shells and set aside.In large pan, heat oil. Add onions and garlic, cook till translucent.Add ground turkey, cook for about 5 minutes or until brown. Add fish sauce and sriracha/hot sauce. Combine evenly.Continue cooking turkey till it's fully cooked, then add spaghetti squash.Gently combine turkey and spaghetti squash till evenly heated. Add additional fish sauce, salt or sriracha hot sauce to taste. Serve warm.

View the original article here

Baked Kale Chips with Sea Salt and Black Pepper

Everyone has their vices. Admit it. I know each of you has a food weakness that you find yourself giving into when times get rough. Or tough.

I have many food vices that I turn to when I need a spiritual lift after the end of a long, mentally exhausting day. Some of you I know reach for the tub of ice cream, secret stash of oreos, snicker candy bars or bottle of tequila. Yes, I know who you are but I’m not judging! Sugar and sweets pick you up from exhaustion or after a bad break up. You are totally deserving of this.

For me, anything savory, salty and spicy are my paths to mental health and clarity. Salt, all the way, makes my world go round. Though my list can be extensive, they all have the same thing is common, carbs and of course, salt. French fries and crunchy potato chips are like my aspirin pills.

When I have a headache, all I need is a few crunchy sea salt and black pepper kettle potato chips to heal myself. I don’t know what it is, but the salt, black pepper, crunch and carbs really satisfy me when I need them most. But every vice has it’s downfall and for me, it’s when I look at the bottom of an empty bag of sea salt and pepper potato chips that I realize a trip to the gym is the second part of mental healing.

Potato chips in almost every shape, form and flavor is my vice and total weakness. But since I discovered baked kale chips, my world of indulgence has turned over for the better. Rather than eating fried potatoes, the light crunch of kale chips is equally satisfying. My first recipe for spicy kale chips are  my go-to treat for salty crunch and they are so incredibly easy to make. I don’t know why I didn’t discover them when I was in high school.

Now that I’ve been eating spicy kale chips, I’m reminded of why I love sea salt and pepper potato chips so much. Just four simple ingredients: fresh kale, sea salt, black pepper and good olive oil has pretty much replaced my need for potato chips.

I’ve been making these simple baked kale chips for a while now, but I realize that I never shared this recipe with you. Until now.

And now you know where my food weakness is. I’ve love to hear what you to say about what your food vice is.

hugs,

diane

Yield: Serves 2

Total Time: 30 min

Fresh kale leaves look very voluminous and full when they are fresh. But when baked, they shrink down considerably. So consider making two bunches of kale if you are serving more than two people. For me, I can eat one whole bunch of kale by myself! And make sure to splurge on that nice sea salt for these. It is completely worth it.

one bunch of fresh kale,Sea saltFresh cracked black pepperOlive oilPreheat oven to 350 degrees.Wash kale. Remove tough inner stems from kale leaves.Tear the kale leaves into large pieces. They will shrink, so tear them into pieces that are a little larger than what you'd like to eat.Dry kale leaves well with paper towels.Place kale leaves in large bowl. Start by tossing in about 1 tablespoon of olive oil at a time, when needed. The kale needs to be lightly coated with oil. Too much will make the kale limp and greasy. Sprinkle with sea salt and fresh crushed black pepper.Layer kale leaves in a single layer in a baking sheet lined. You can use parchment paper if you like for easier cleaning.Bake for 12-14 minutes or until crisp. About 5 minutes before they are finished, gently toss them on the sheet pan for more even baking. They will burn easy, be aware of how they are baking.

View the original article here

Baked Eggs with Saffron and Cumin

I first made these baked eggs with cumin and saffron when I lived in Shanghai a few years ago. I had recently become obsessed with cumin, after eating at many Muslim Chinese restaurants in Shanghai and Beijing that specialized in cumin lamb dishes. Of course, at home, I wanted to use cumin as much as possible, and worked the spice into this breakfast dish.

So here’s a short, revised recipe, since I recently made this again and it was every bit as good as I remembered. The process is  a piece of cake. You just sauté some shallots or onions in a pan, add the tomatoes, cumin, salt, and pepper, then transfer the mixture to ramekins. Then you crack an egg into each ramekin and sprinkle a bit of saffron on top. It looks really nice coming out of the oven with specks of bright red from the saffron and the egg still bubbling on top.

It’s a great, fragrant comfort food dish and perfect for a leisurely weekend brunch. Or even an easy weeknight meal, if you have some rice or noodles to go along with it.

_______________________________________

Baked Eggs with Saffron and Cumin

Serves 2

1 tablespoon olive oil1 large shallot or 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped2 large or 3 medium tomatoes, cubed1 teaspoon ground cuminSalt and freshly ground black pepper to taste2 eggs1 pinch saffron (6 to 8 threads)Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Toast cumin in a dry, medium- to large-sized skillet. Add the olive oil, and cook the onions over medium heat until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and sprinkle in the cumin. Cook, stirring, until the tomatoes have softened, about 5 minutes. Salt and pepper to tasteDivide the tomato mixture into 2 medium ramekins. Top each ramekin with 1 eggs. Crumble the saffron threads with your fingers and sprinkle them over the eggs. Bake in the oven for about 2o to 25 minutes, until whites and yolk are set (a few minutes less if you prefer your egg yolks slightly runny). Remove from the oven and sprinkle a tiny bit more salt and pepper on top. Cool for 3 minutes or so before serving.Updated September 9, 2012. Original recipe posted June 2, 2008.

_______________________________________

Other egg recipes to try:

Tagged as: Eggs, Healthy, Recipes, Tomatoes, Vegetarian

View the original article here

Gluten-Free Bun Trilogy: Dough, Baked Buns, Steamed Buns

Gluten-Free Bun Trilogy: Dough, Baked Buns, Steamed Buns - Viet World Kitchenwindow.fbAsyncInit = function() { FB.init( { apiKey: 'a279adbe87e2b3c505e777af99a5260d', xfbml: true } );};( function() { var e = document.createElement( 'script' ); e.async = true; e.src = document.location.protocol + '//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js'; document.getElementById( 'fb-root' ).appendChild( e );} )();Viet World KitchenHomeAsian Dumpling TipsRecipe IndexClasses + EventsFavorite SitesAbout MePermission + CreditWelcome to Viet World Kitchen where I explore the culinary traditions of Vietnam and the rest of Asia. Join me to learn, create, and contribute!

Andrea Nguyen
Author & Teacher

Send a messagePrint + Digital Publications

Asian Tofu
Pre-order at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks

Asian Market Shopper
mobile app is here!
Available at iTunes store

Asian Dumplings
Info on e-book w/ videos!
Available at: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks

Into the Vietnamese Kitchen
Available at: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooksRecent PostsGluten-Free Bun Trilogy: Dough, Baked Buns, Steamed BunsGluten-Free Baked Buns (Bao) RecipeGluten-Free Steamed Bun (Bao) Recipe2011 Cookbooks Pushing the Asian Envelope: Indochine, Bill’s Everyday Asian, Tender, PlentyMaggi Seasoning Sauce Substitutes: Mainstream, Gluten-Free, and MSG-Free OptionsInstant Pho Fixes? A tasting of Trader Joe’s, Pacific Foods and Happy PhoTamarind Glazed Lamb Ribs RecipeNovember 2011 Finds: Chinese Food Week, Online Asian Markets, Art & HumorApple Tart Tatin with Banh Mi (Bread) RecipeDeep-Fried Apple Spring Rolls RecipeAwards + Praise
James Beard Foundation
Award Finalist
2007 Best Asian Cookbook

IACP Awards Finalist
2010 Best Single Subject Cookbook
2007 Best First Book
2007 Best Int'l Cookbook

National Public Radio
Best 10 Cookbooks of 2009

Cooking Light Magazine
Oct. 2009 "Editors' Dozen" Top Picks
2010 Editors' Favorite Cookbooks

CHOW.com
Winter 2009 Gift Guide

« Gluten-Free Baked Buns (Bao) Recipe |Main

December 11, 2011Gluten-Free Bun Trilogy: Dough, Baked Buns, Steamed Buns

It started last week with an email from a gluten-free Asian dumpling lover who asked about Indonesian buns (bao) made of rice flour dough. Then there was a tweet from @chubbybuns_shop in Boise, Idado, asking if I’d ever made gluten-free bao. I have poked and held enough loaves of gluten-free breads to know that it would be a challenge to create fluffy, chewy dough that could be baked and steamed.

Marvin of Burnt Lumpia asked if I knew how to make Filipino rice flour siopao (stuffed bao). No I didn’t but figured that the Filipinos may mix rice flour with other flours. Given the Filipino- style bao, I figured that I could come up with something. I wasn’t a fool for taking on the challenge of creating gluten-free bao dough.

I looked through several gluten-free sources and decided to base the dough recipe on a cinnamon roll dough from Cybele Pascal’s reliable Allergen-Free Baker’s Handbook. I chose it because it had similar elements as my regular bao dough in Asian Dumplings: flour, fat, sugar, liquid, and leavening. It wasn’t such a big leap, going from Western cinnamon rolls to stuffed Asian buns.

Pascal’s foundation of the gluten-free dough is combination of brown rice flour, tapioca starch, and potato starch. I bought Bob’s Red Mill on her recommendation since Authentic Foods and Ener-G brands were not available at my local health food store; stay away from grainy brown rice flour such as Arrowhead Mills, she says.

The tapioca and potato flour brands are not as important. Then there’s the requisite xantham gum for texture. A double dose of leavening came in the form of baking powder and rapid-rise yeast.

I went two rounds with the dough and made these discoveries:

You can’t just sub gluten-free flour for regular flour. I tried that the first time around and the dough was overly firm and baked up as little rocks. The gluten-free bao dough below has its own personality.Gluten-free bao dough needs extra moisture. The starches and rice flour are liquid suckers and dry up much easier than wheat flour if there’s not enough moisture. The dough is super soft like that of a gooey cookie dough.The result is pleasant, though not lofty and fluffy. Expect a nice chew and crumb – like a cross between a scone and a yeasted roll.More sugar and salt. For good flavor, I had to up the sugar and add salt. Most Asian dumpling doughs do not contain salt.No initial rise is needed. It’s just one long rise after you shape the buns.Cooking time is longer for the gluten-free bao dough. Plan on doubling the amount of time it takes to cook the gluten-free bao dough as it’s fairly moist.

I tested out the dough with a char siu pork filling for baked buns and steamed buns. The flavors and textures were good and very serviceable, i.e., I would serve them to gluten-free guests.

Gluten-free bao is not like what you get at dim sum but they do have a rustic appeal of their own. If you follow a gluten-free diet, I hope this satisfies your Chinese bao cravings. If you do not, this is a recipe that helps you better understand flours, starches, and dough. It was a cool experiment.

I’m structuring this trilogy of posts like the recipes in Asian Dumplings. Below is the recipe for the dough, linked to instructions for how to make gluten-free steamed buns and baked buns. Start here and then go to the other recipes!

RECIPE

Gluten-Free Bun Dough

This gluten-free bao dough works for both cooking methods. It’s an allergen-free approach.

Enough dough for 16 (2 1/2-inch) buns

10 ounces (2 cups) brown rice flour
4 ounces (2/3 cup) potato starch
1 1/2 ounces (1/3 cup) tapioca starch
1/2 teaspoon xantham gum
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
A 1/4-ounce package rapid-rise yeast
1 cup unsweetened soy or rice milk
1/4 cup canola oil
3 to 4 tablespoons sugar

1. Put the rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch in a plastic zip-top bag. Shake it all up to make a gluten-free flour mixture. You’ll have nearly 1 pound total. Measure out 11 1/4 ounces (2 1/4 cups) and transfer to a bowl. Set aside another 1/4 cup to use later and save the remaining flour for another use.

Add the xantham gum, baking powder, salt, and yeast to the 2 1/4 cups of flour. Whisk to combine.

2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the milk, oil, and sugar, stirring until melted and warm, about 1 minute.

3. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture, pour in the warm liquid mixture, then stir to combine well. The dough will be soft and ragged, like cookie dough.

Cover tightly with plastic wrap and set aside for 10 minutes, while it firms up slightly. The plastic may steam a bit. The dough is now ready to use for baked or steamed buns.

Make sure you have the filling prepared before making this dough because it comes together quickly.

View the original article here

Gluten-Free Baked Buns (Bao) Recipe

Gluten-Free Baked Buns (Bao) Recipe - Viet World Kitchenwindow.fbAsyncInit = function() { FB.init( { apiKey: 'a279adbe87e2b3c505e777af99a5260d', xfbml: true } );};( function() { var e = document.createElement( 'script' ); e.async = true; e.src = document.location.protocol + '//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js'; document.getElementById( 'fb-root' ).appendChild( e );} )();Viet World KitchenHomeAsian Dumpling TipsRecipe IndexClasses + EventsFavorite SitesAbout MePermission + CreditWelcome to Viet World Kitchen where I explore the culinary traditions of Vietnam and the rest of Asia. Join me to learn, create, and contribute!

Andrea Nguyen
Author & Teacher

Send a messagePrint + Digital Publications

Asian Tofu
Pre-order at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks

Asian Market Shopper
mobile app is here!
Available at iTunes store

Asian Dumplings
Info on e-book w/ videos!
Available at: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks

Into the Vietnamese Kitchen
Available at: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooksRecent PostsGluten-Free Bun Trilogy: Dough, Baked Buns, Steamed BunsGluten-Free Baked Buns (Bao) RecipeGluten-Free Steamed Bun (Bao) Recipe2011 Cookbooks Pushing the Asian Envelope: Indochine, Bill’s Everyday Asian, Tender, PlentyMaggi Seasoning Sauce Substitutes: Mainstream, Gluten-Free, and MSG-Free OptionsInstant Pho Fixes? A tasting of Trader Joe’s, Pacific Foods and Happy PhoTamarind Glazed Lamb Ribs RecipeNovember 2011 Finds: Chinese Food Week, Online Asian Markets, Art & HumorApple Tart Tatin with Banh Mi (Bread) RecipeDeep-Fried Apple Spring Rolls RecipeAwards + Praise
James Beard Foundation
Award Finalist
2007 Best Asian Cookbook

IACP Awards Finalist
2010 Best Single Subject Cookbook
2007 Best First Book
2007 Best Int'l Cookbook

National Public Radio
Best 10 Cookbooks of 2009

Cooking Light Magazine
Oct. 2009 "Editors' Dozen" Top Picks
2010 Editors' Favorite Cookbooks

CHOW.com
Winter 2009 Gift Guide

« Gluten-Free Steamed Bun (Bao) Recipe |Main| Gluten-Free Bun Trilogy: Dough, Baked Buns, Steamed Buns »

December 11, 2011Gluten-Free Baked Buns (Bao) Recipe

Baked gluten-free buns are less tricky to make than steamed ones because you bake them in the same pan that you let them rise in. The result looks like giant macarons or pfeffernusse – low domes. They’re firmer and denser than your typical baked bao, but they are tasty in their own right.

Making a flavorful filling is important because it stamps the bao with extra texture and savor. I used char siu pork for the ones pictured above. Other filling options are mentioned below for savory and sweet buns. If you’re super sensitive to gluten, you’ll have to figure out alternatives for certain Asian ingredients used in the fillings. See this post for guidance on gluten-free Asian ingredients.

RECIPE

Gluten-Free Baked Bao

Makes 16

1 recipe Gluten-Free Bun Dough  (see Gluten-Free Bun Trilogy post)
1 1/3 cups bao filling (char siu, curried chicken, vegetable and tofu for savory buns; red bean paste and mung bean paste for sweet buns; see Asian Dumplings, pages 100-102, 203-204), or chicken and shiitake filling
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons honey diluted with 1 tablespoon water

1. Line 1 large or 2 medium baking pans with parchment. Work with half the dough at a time. Amply dust the work surface with about 2 tablespoons of gluten-free flour. Put half of the dough on top and gently shape and roll into a thick 8 to 10 inch log. Cut it crosswise into 8 pieces.

2. For each bun, take a piece of dough, gently pat it into a 1/4-inch-thick round (2 1/2 to 3 inches wide). Center 4 teaspoons of filling on top, then nudge and pinch the dough together to close it up around the filling and form a ball. This is nearly closed up:

Place the ball on the parchment paper, seam side down. Repeat to make more before attacking the other half of dough.

[photo]

3. Tightly cover the pan(s) with plastic wrap, then slide them into the oven. Turn on the light to keep the buns warm. Let rise for 60 minutes.

During the final 15-20 minutes, remove the pans from the oven and place them atop the stove to stay warm. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350F.

4. When rising time is up, brush the buns with egg, then bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until golden. Remove from the oven, let the buns rest for 5 minutes, then brush honey on the buns. (If you are baking in advance, reheat the buns in a 350F oven for 5 to 6 minutes or microwave oven, until hot. Then cool and brush on the honey glaze.)

Let the buns cool for a few minutes and soften from the honey before eating.

Related posts

Gluten-Free Bun Trilogy: Dough RecipeSteamed Gluten-Free Bun (Bao) RecipeGluten-Free Pot Stickers: Recipe Trial & Dough 3 (sorghum, sweet rice, and tapioca starch dough)Gluten-Free Pot Stickers: Recipe Trial & Dough 2  (millet, sorghum, tapioca, and potato dough; includes tips on working with GF dumpling dough)Gluten-free Pot Stickers: Recipe Trial 1 (on Asiandumplingtips.com)Guide to Building an Asian Dumpling PantryTolerance Test: Are Gluten-Free Asian Ingredients for You?Posted in Asian Dumplings, Cooking Tips & Tools, Recipes: All, Recipes: Appetizer and Snack, Recipes: Banh (Crepes, dumplings, cakes, bread) Recipes, Recipes: Chinese, Recipes: Dessert and Sweets, Recipes: Gluten-Free , Recipes: Vegetarian | Permalink

| |

Comments

You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.

Verify your Comment Previewing your CommentPosted by:  | 

This is only a preview. Your comment has not yet been posted.

Your comment could not be posted. Error type: Your comment has been posted. Post another comment The letters and numbers you entered did not match the image. Please try again.

As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.

Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.

Post a comment Comment below or sign in with TypePad Facebook Twitter and more... You are currently signed in as (nobody). Sign Out (URLs automatically linked.)

Your Information

(Name and email address are required. Email address will not be displayed with the comment.)

Name is required to post a comment

Please enter a valid email address

Invalid URL

Be Connected Get news via RSS or email
 Get updates in Facebook
 Follow me on Twitter
Search VWK EventsAsian Tofu Book Talk
Tues, 3/6/2012, 7:30pm
A little tofu tasting too!
Bookshop Santa Cruz, CA

Asian Tofu Workshop
Tues, 3/13/2012, 6:30-9pm
Demo class w/ participation
Draeger’s San Mateo, CA

Asian Tofu Workshop
Sun, 4/1/2012, 6pm-10pm
Hands-on class
Inst. of Culinary Ed, NY
(registration yet to open) 

Into the Vietnamese Kitchen
Tues, 4/10/2012, 6:30-9pm
Demo class w/ participation
Draeger’s San Mateo, CA

Share Shots#flickr_badge_source_txt {padding:0; font: 11px Arial, Helvetica, Sans serif; color:#666666;}#flickr_badge_icon {display:block !important; margin:0 !important; border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0) !important;}#flickr_icon_td {padding:0 5px 0 0 !important;}.flickr_badge_image {text-align:center !important;}.flickr_badge_image img {border: 0px solid black !important;}#flickr_badge_uber_wrapper {width:150px;}#flickr_www {display:block; text-align:center; padding:0 10px 0 10px !important; font: 11px Arial, Helvetica, Sans serif !important; color:#3993ff !important;}#flickr_badge_uber_wrapper a:hover,#flickr_badge_uber_wrapper a:link,#flickr_badge_uber_wrapper a:active,#flickr_badge_uber_wrapper a:visited {text-decoration:none !important; background:inherit !important;color:#3993ff;}#flickr_badge_wrapper {background-color:#ffffff;border: solid 1px #000000}#flickr_badge_source {padding:0 !important; font: 11px Arial, Helvetica, Sans serif !important; color:#666666 !important;}www.flickr.comMore in Viet World Kitchen pool. Add yours! Become a Fan ( function() { var container = document.getElementById( 'facebook-like-container' ); if ( container ) { var e = document.createElement( 'fb:like-box' ); e.setAttribute( 'href', 'http://www.facebook.com/vietworldkitchen' ); // FB.XFBML.Element._getPxAttribute dies with an error in IE // if the value of "width" is set to an integer, not a string. e.setAttribute( 'width', container.offsetWidth + 'px' ); e.setAttribute( 'connections', '0' ); e.setAttribute( 'stream', 'false' ); e.setAttribute( 'header', 'false' ); container.appendChild( e ); } } )(); RecipesAppetizer and Snack RecipesBanh (Crepes, dumplings, cakes, bread) RecipesBanh Mi Sandwich RecipesBasic Sauces, Stocks and Garnishes RecipesChile Sauce RecipesClaypot (Kho) RecipesDeep-Fried RecipesDessert and Sweets RecipesDipping Sauces RecipesDrink and Beverage RecipesGluten-Free RecipesGrilled RecipesMain Course RecipesMeat RecipesNoodles RecipesOne-Dish Meals RecipesPho RecipesPoultry and Egg RecipesRice RecipesSalad RecipesSeafood RecipesSoup RecipesStir-Fry RecipesStreet Food RecipesVegan RecipesVegetable Sides and Pickles RecipesVegetarian Recipes Vietnamese RecipesNon-Vietnamese RecipesViet World Kitchen | Copyright 2002-2011 by Andrea Nguyen | Privacy Policy

document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https://sb" : "http://b") + ".scorecardresearch.com/beacon.js'%3E%3C/script%3E"));COMSCORE.beacon({ c1: 2, c2: "6035669", c3: "", c4: "http://www.vietworldkitchen.com/blog/2011/12/gluten-free-baked-buns-bao-recipe.html", c5: "", c6: "", c15: ""});

View the original article here