Taiwanese street food festival 台味食煮 - Day 7- Pan Fried Radish Bao 蘿蔔絲餅

Weekend!! Finally I have time spending in the kitchen to make something wandering in my head this week, most were Taiwanese street food! I miss the convenience of living in Taiwan that you can get any warm and tasty food you can think of almost anytime. It becomes even more crucial when I am stressed. It is the most effective way to sweep out all the negative feelings with a snap. (For more Taiwanese street food recipes, please see HERE)

I love original-flavor products made of flour, especially for the savory ones. From the typical bread in the West, such as la flute, le baguette, la ciabatta to the East, bao in general (pan fried bao, steamed veggie bao, xiaolongbao 煎包, 菜包,小籠包）and pan fried cake (da ping, 大餅, a thick, fluffy-and-chewy pan fried dough). I love sinking my teeth into a steaming hot bao, slowly chew it to savor the flavors and maybe with cup of oolong tea. This is my way of assuaging my appetite, appeasing my need or perhaps more accurately, releasing my pressure.

Pan Fried Bao with Cabbage

Sweet Da-Bing

Varieties of Da-Bing

Scallion Da-Bing

Pan fried bao is filled with meat, veggies or combination of both. The typical one is combination of pork ground with green cabbage. Instead of using chinese cabbage, I replace by seasonal veggie - daikon radish. It provides a lovely natural sweetness to balance the greasiness from the pork. The aroma of dried mushrooms and dried shrimps just upgrade it to the top level. Take in a big mouthful and enjoy the salty, fresh flavors and comforting pork in your mouth.

 

Fillings:
Ingredients:
1. 1/2 daikon radish, peeled and shredded
2. 250 gram ground pork
3. 4 shallot, chopped
4. 3-4 dried mushroom, chopped
5. 1 scallion, chopped
6.  Handful dried shrimp

 

Seasonings:
1. 1 Tsp soy sauce
2. 1 tsp black pepper powder
3. 1 tsp white pepper powder
4. 1 tsp sake
5. 1 tsp mirin
6. 1 Tsp salt for daikon radish, some for taste

Dough: (Serving 6-8 pieces)
Ingredients:
1. 400 gram all purpose flour
2. 120g warm water
3. 100g cold water

Instructions:

1. Add 1 Tsp salt into daikon radish, toss it over until it is well-combined. Leave for 15 mins until liquid comes out. Squeeze out the liquid as much as possible.

2. Heat oil pan with medium heat, add shallot and stir fry until it fragrant. Add dried mushroom and dried shrimp,give it a good stir.

 

3. Keep the medium heat, combine with ground pork, cook 5-8 mins until pork is perfectly separated,fluffy and aromatic. Stir in scallion and cook for couple mins.

 

4. Add seasonings 1-5, combine with all the ingredients thoroughly. Finally add daikon radish, stir fry evenly and cook for another 3 mins. Remove from the pan, cool down for later use.

5. Take a huge bowl, mix warm water with flour first, pour in cold water gradually and mix it well. Cover with a damp towel and set aside for 50 mins.

6. Take out of the dough, start kneading with hands until it became non-sticky and smooth. Divide dough into 6 or 8 equal portions (6 for chewy with wheat-flavor taste, 8 for crispy enjoyment)

 

7. Take one portion of dough, flatten with a rolling pin. Place 2-3 Tsp of filling in the middle. Use thumb and index finger to pick up one side of edge, circle around the edge of the skin, fold and pleat it accordingly. Make sure it is completely sealed.

 

*For people who struggle with wrapping, here is video from Carol Easylife, one of amazing food bloggers I admire.

8. Gently flatten the bao with palm, set aside for 5 mins. Repeat for the rest portions.

 

9. Add 2 Tsp olive oil in the pan with medium heat, fry the bao until both sides are crispy and golden brown (about 3-5 mins for each side). Keep the medium heat, add 1 Tsp of water and cover with lid, cook for another 3 mins. Serve warm.