Lotus Leaf Buns

These lotus leaf buns (荷叶 – lotus leaf, 包 – bun) are excellent for any type of filling. These steamed bao are often erroneously referred to as “bao buns,” which repetitively translates to “bun bun.” like other Chinese bao, these are steamed and are made in a flat, folded shape with an opening in the middle–perfect to hold a variety of fillings. They’re called lotus leaf buns because of their leaf shape.

This steamed bao originated from Fuzhou, which is the capital of the Fujian province in China. The original type of lotus leaf bun was called gua bao. Soft, fluffy pillows of milky and slightly sweet steamed bao buns are the tastiest ways to pair with fresh vegetables. This recipe will teach you how to make homemade lotus leaf buns piping hot from the steamer.

If you’re intimidated by the prospect of making steamed buns at home, I find it much easier than making most breads! Just remember one thing: it’s better to underproof than over-proof the dough. The rule of thumb is that proofing is done once the dough doubles in size, and no more than that. Over-proofing makes the buns taste yeasty, and in our experience, it sometimes makes them bitter.

The buns need time to set—opening the lid right after turning off the heat will cause the buns to collapse and lose their fluffiness. I will tell you now there’s nothing sadder than your perfect lotus leaf buns getting deflated. But once you’ve successfully steamed your buns, many of you will be thrilled to hear that these freeze and reheat well!

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Eggplant Bulgogi Cauliflower Kimchi Fried Rice

Inspired by the popular Korean dish (but certainly not authentic!), this vegan eggplant bulgogi recipe is incredibly easy to make, exploding with flavour, and completely addictive! bulgogi beef, AKA Korean BBQ beef, is a classic Korean dish made from strips of savoury, spicy, and sweet marinated beef. My version is however made with eggplants prepared using a homemade BBQ sauce for major flavour impact.

Oh my kimchi stars! Enjoy the mouthwatering softness of the rice, the blissful kimchi and savoury vegan bulgogi partaayy. This recipe is a quick and easy dish that comes together in less than one hour. The sweetness from the bulgogi and tartness from the kimchi are perfectly balanced by the savoury rice and seasonings. .Pure home cooked goodness!

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Hakka Abacus

Yam abacus seeds (算盘子) or yam gnocchi is like the Chinese version of gnocchi. For those who are new to this traditional dish, abacus seeds is one of the Hakka classics in Chinese cuisine, made up primarily of purple yam/taro and tapioca flour. When cooked, these yam abacus seeds are soft on the outside, chewy on the inside and full of strong yam aroma.

An auspicious Hakka dish that signifies prosperity and yields to overflowing blessings — eating abacus seeds during festive celebrations and gatherings (especially Chinese New Year) will help to bring an abundance of wealth into your life.

This is an heirloom recipe from my family, dating back generations to my grandmother’s village in China. It’s a difficult dish to find outside, so although it takes some effort and time to make, it’s so worth it.

Her ratio is simple 2 portion of yam always go with 1 portion of tapioca flour. If you want your abacus seeds to be more QQ, you can probably increase the tapioca flour by a bit. But bear in mind not to add too much because you may not be able to taste the yam anymore. Likewise, if you want more yam flavour, decrease the amount of tapioca flour.

And of course the trick to make the abacus seeds is: DO IT WHILE IT’S HOT. Kneading the abacus dough while it’s hot was really challenging for me then. But now, I think my hands are somehow immune of heat already so I do it pretty fast. Don’t try to do shortcut by putting it into a blender please, this dish must be made by hand.

IF YOU EVER GIVE THIS RECIPE A TRY, DO LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW AND/OR TAG @FRUITYEMZ AND HASHTAG #FRUITYEMZ ON YOUR INSTAGRAM POST! I WOULD LOVE TO SEE ALL YOUR YUMMY CREATIONS 🙂