PREP TIME: 1 HR | COOK TIME: 30 MINS | PROVING TIME: 2 HRS 30 MINS | TOTAL TIME: 4 HRS | SERVINGS: 20
A crispy Korean chicken stuffed in light and airy steamed bao buns is a great way to dazzle your party guests!
INGREDIENTS
Bao Buns:
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 ¾ c. (450 grams) plain (all-purpose) flour
2 tablespoons caster sugar
2 teaspoons (equivalent to one packet or 7 grams) of instant dried yeast
¾ c. + 2 tablespoons (210ml altogether) warm water
3 tablespoons whole milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, very soft
½ teaspoon salt
Chicken and marinade:
1 c. (240ml) buttermilk
4 chicken breasts, sliced into bite-size chunks
¼ teaspoon white pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic salt
½ teaspoon salt
Crispy Coating:
vegetable oil for deep frying – at least 1 liter/four c.
1 ½ c. (180 grams) plain (all-purpose) flour
½ teaspoon celery salt
½ teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon chili flakes
Korean Sauce:
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons gochujang paste
4 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons minced ginger
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
To Serve:
¼ cucumber – chopped into small pieces
1 small red onion – thinly sliced
2 teaspoons black and white sesame seeds
Small bunch of fresh coriander – cilantro, roughly chopped
How to make Korean Chicken Bao
Step 1: To make the bao buns, whisk the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in a bowl.
Step 2: Put the milk, warm water, and butter in a bowl and mix until the butter has melted. Using a spoon at first, and then your hands, stir the liquid into the flour. Knead the dough for ten minutes on a floured surface. You may also use a mixer with a dough hook to do this.
Step 3: In an oiled bowl, place the dough and tent with a damp towel or cling film. Set aside for about 90 minutes to 2 hours until the size doubles.
Step 4: In the meantime, prepare the Korean Chicken. In a bowl, place the chicken along with the buttermilk, salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Mix well and tent the bowl. Keep in the fridge for at least 1 hour to marinate the chicken.
Step 5: Onto a floured surface, tip out the dough once it has proven. Knead the dough, then split it into 20 balls. On your work surface, lay a piece of baking parchment, then roll each dough ball into about 6 x 9 cm oval. You can use a rolling pin.
Step 6: Using olive oil, brush the ovals and fold each oval over. I suggest using a chopstick. Fold the middle over, leaving a bit of space in the fold. Remove the chopstick. Onto a small piece of baking parchment, place each bun.
Step 7: On the trays, place the buns while still on the baking parchment. Tent each tray using a cling film or carrier bag (making sure the cling film does not touch the dough). Set aside to prove until puffed up.
Step 8: Heat the oven on the lowest setting (to keep cooked chicken warm). Prepare a deep fat fryer (or a big saucepan of vegetable oil) by heating it until it reaches frying temperature, which may be determined by putting a tiny cube of bread into the oil and seeing if it quickly rises to the surface and begins to bubble. A minimum of 1 liter (4 cups) of oil is required.
Step 9: In a small dish, combine all of the ingredients for the crunchy coating. The chicken should be removed from the refrigerator. Lift it out of the buttermilk and set it down to the drain. Cover the chicken completely with the coating mixture and dredge it in the flour. After each batch is finished, transfer the chicken to a tray.
Step 10: Then, when the oil is heated, drop in ten to twelve pieces of chicken. Don’t crowd the chicken, and adjust the amount you add based on the size of your pan. Keep cooking until the outside is golden and the inside is hot. A piece of chicken is done when the center is no longer pink when sliced.
Step 11: Keep warm while you finish cooking the remainder of the chicken by placing it on a baking sheet in the oven.
Step 12: Meanwhile, start boiling water in a big steamer pan. Steam the buns on a baking sheet for 10 minutes, working in batches. Using a double-layer steam pan, I steam eight buns at once. After steaming, serve on a hot platter.
Step 13: n a saucepan, combine the gochujang with the honey, sugar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, vegetable oil, and sesame oil.
Step 14: Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Step 15: Put the chicken in a bowl and cover it with the sauce after it’s done cooking. Toss together to evenly coat. Chicken breasts can be left whole or sliced into smaller pieces.
Step 16: Tear up the bao buns and carefully load them with Korean chicken. Slices of red onion, cucumber, fresh coriander (cilantro), and toasted sesame seeds make a great topping.
NUTRITION FACTS:
Calories: 289 kcal, Carbohydrates: 32g, Protein: 14g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 35mg, Sodium: 650mg, Potassium: 279mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 183IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 42mg, Iron: 2mg