Directions

To Make Dough

1. Mix the yeast with warm water and let it rest for 5 mins.
2. In the meantime, in a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and sugar. Once well combined, create a well in the middle to add in the wet ingredients.
3. In the well, add in the oil followed by warm water and active yeast mixture.
4. Mix everything slowly in the bowl until the dough starts to form, then place it on a flat surface to knead.
5. Knead the dough for about 5 mins (it should end up soft and only slightly sticky). Once done, cover the dough and let rest in a warm place until it doubles in size (approx. 1 hr).
6. After the dough has doubled in size, place it on a flat surface and knead again for about 5 mins to remove air bubbles. Then use a rolling pin to flatten the dough until it’s approx. 1 cm thick.
7. Next, use a round cookie cutter (approx. 10 cm diameter) or a big glass to cut circles into the dough. Take out any leftover dough, roll it flat again and cut more circles out of it.
8. Brush the circular dough with oil and fold it in half with the oily side inwards (this will allow the bao to open easily once cooked).
9. Once all the bao dough are folded, place each onto a square baking sheet, cover and let rest for 15 mins.
10. After resting, cook the bao by steaming them for 12 mins.

To Make Miso-glazed Eggplant

1. In a small pot, mix the miso paste, sake, mirin, sugar and water together on low heat for about 5 mins. Set the sauce aside.
2. Cut the eggplants in thick round slices and grill for 2 mins on each side. Brush the sauce on the eggplant and grill for another 20 secs on each side, then set aside to serve with the bao.

To Serve

1. In a bao, drizzle some Kewpie mayonnaise, add in some shredded cabbage and miso-glazed eggplant, topped with red ginger pickle, coriander, spring onions and fresh chillies.