Pan-Fried Daikon Radish Bun – Luo Bo Si Bing (萝卜丝饼) by
Ingredients
Dough
2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup lukewarm water
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon oil
Filling
Veggie Box daikon radishes
Veggie Box turnips
3 oz firm tofu
Veggie Box oyster mushrooms
1 small carrot (from a previous box)
3 stalks Veggie Box green onions chopped
1 bunch dried mung bean vermicelli
a few splashes sesame oil toasted (see link)
Seasoning
1 tablespoon soy sauce plus more to taste
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder
⅛ teaspoon ground white pepper
Instructions
Make the dough
To make the dough, combine flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine. Stir while adding the water. Add the oil and knead until a soft dough forms, about 3-4 minutes. Note: the dough is sticky but you should be able to gather the dough together. If not, add a little more flour, one tablespoon at a time. Cover the bowl with a lid and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Prepare the filling
To make the filling, soften the mung bean vermicelli by immersing it in hot boiling water, about 5-8 minutes. Then, cut them into tinier threads. Meanwhile, drain the tofu with dish towels or gently press it in between your palms to remove the tofu water. Then, cut it into tiny cubes. Next, prepare the mushrooms by dicing. Set it aside. Shred the carrot using a grater with a smaller shredding hole. Now, clean the daikon radish and turnip and peel off the outer skin with a vegetable peeler Set a grater on top of a large bowl and shred the daikon using the large shredding holes. Then, massage the shreds with a teaspoon of salt and set them aside for about 20-30 minutes. This step is to draw out the moisture. To cook the filling, heat a large non-stick pan with ½ tablespoon of oil. Sauté mushrooms until fragrant, push them to the side of the pan. Pan-fry the tofu cubes until golden brown, adding more oil if needed. Add the carrot and sauté for about 30-45 seconds. Season with ¼ teaspoon of salt. Turn off the heat and let it cool down. Once the radishes & turnips have softened and the water has released, place them in a tea towel or cheesecloth. Wring out as much liquid as possible, do it in small batches as needed. Transfer the squeezed radish/turnip into a bowl. If they appear to have a large strand, cut or chop them into smaller bits. Add the cooked mushrooms, carrot, and tofu into the same bowl followed by softened mung bean vermicelli and green onions. Then, mix it with the seasoning until well-combined. Divide it into 8 portions.
Assemble the bun
To make the buns, dust the work surface and the rolling pin with flour. Please note: this is a very soft and sticky dough, so rub your palms with flour as well. Take a dough and flatten it with your palm. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to a 5′′-6′′ circular wrapper, keeping the middle thicker and side thinner. Place a portion of the filling in the middle. Lift two sides of the dough and bring it to the middle and pinch to seal. While holding this pinch, gently pull a side of the dough and bring it to the middle. Repeat until all sides are in the middle. Pinch it together and seal it tightly. Turn it over and
adjust the dough into a round bun.
Cook the bun
To cook the buns, heat a non-stick pan and add about 3 teaspoons of oil. Add the buns, seamed side down, slightly apart. Cover the pan with a lid, and pan-fry the bottom until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. It's normal that the buns puff up during cooking. Uncover, flip the buns over, and cover with a lid then continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes. Peek the buns occasionally to prevent them from burning. To check if the buns are fully cooked through, poke the side of the bun slightly with your finger. If it bounces back, then, they are ready.
To make the dough, combine flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine. Stir while adding the water. Add the oil and knead until a soft dough forms, about 3-4 minutes. Note: the dough is sticky but you should be able to gather the dough together. If not, add a little more flour, one tablespoon at a time. Cover the bowl with a lid and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Prepare the filling
To make the filling, soften the mung bean vermicelli by immersing it in hot boiling water, about 5-8 minutes. Then, cut them into tinier threads. Meanwhile, drain the tofu with dish towels or gently press it in between your palms to remove the tofu water. Then, cut it into tiny cubes. Next, prepare the mushrooms by dicing. Set it aside. Shred the carrot using a grater with a smaller shredding hole. Now, clean the daikon radish and turnip and peel off the outer skin with a vegetable peeler Set a grater on top of a large bowl and shred the daikon using the large shredding holes. Then, massage the shreds with a teaspoon of salt and set them aside for about 20-30 minutes. This step is to draw out the moisture. To cook the filling, heat a large non-stick pan with ½ tablespoon of oil. Sauté mushrooms until fragrant, push them to the side of the pan. Pan-fry the tofu cubes until golden brown, adding more oil if needed. Add the carrot and sauté for about 30-45 seconds. Season with ¼ teaspoon of salt. Turn off the heat and let it cool down. Once the radishes & turnips have softened and the water has released, place them in a tea towel or cheesecloth. Wring out as much liquid as possible, do it in small batches as needed. Transfer the squeezed radish/turnip into a bowl. If they appear to have a large strand, cut or chop them into smaller bits. Add the cooked mushrooms, carrot, and tofu into the same bowl followed by softened mung bean vermicelli and green onions. Then, mix it with the seasoning until well-combined. Divide it into 8 portions.
Assemble the bun
To make the buns, dust the work surface and the rolling pin with flour. Please note: this is a very soft and sticky dough, so rub your palms with flour as well. Take a dough and flatten it with your palm. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to a 5′′-6′′ circular wrapper, keeping the middle thicker and side thinner. Place a portion of the filling in the middle. Lift two sides of the dough and bring it to the middle and pinch to seal. While holding this pinch, gently pull a side of the dough and bring it to the middle. Repeat until all sides are in the middle. Pinch it together and seal it tightly. Turn it over and
adjust the dough into a round bun.
Cook the bun
To cook the buns, heat a non-stick pan and add about 3 teaspoons of oil. Add the buns, seamed side down, slightly apart. Cover the pan with a lid, and pan-fry the bottom until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. It's normal that the buns puff up during cooking. Uncover, flip the buns over, and cover with a lid then continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes. Peek the buns occasionally to prevent them from burning. To check if the buns are fully cooked through, poke the side of the bun slightly with your finger. If it bounces back, then, they are ready.