Sticky Mushroom Bao Buns

Serves 4–6 Prep 20 mins Cooking 20 mins

12 shitake mushrooms

6 green shallots, cut into 3 cm pieces

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp sesame oil

2 tbsp toasted white sesame seeds

8 bao buns (find these in the frozen

section at Asian grocers)

4 small cucumbers, thinly sliced

lengthways

4 radishes, thinly sliced

Kewpie mayonnaise and coriander

leaves to serve

½ ¼ STICKY cup cup (60 (125 SAUCE ml) ml) water soy sauce

¼ cup (60 ml) mirin

¼ cup (60 g) brown sugar

2 garlic cloves, finely grated

1 tsp finely grated ginger

2 tsp tapioca or potato starch (can

sub with arrowroot)

For the sticky sauce whisk all ingredients in a saucepan. Place over medium heat and cook, whisking frequently, until it comes to a simmer. Remove from heat and stand until required. (Mixture will thicken as it sits.)

Thread mushrooms and shallots onto four skewers. Combine oils in a bowl and brush over skewers. Prepare bao buns as per packet instructions, for mine I microwaved in a covered bowl for 1 minute.

Preheat a barbecue or chargrill pan over medium-high heat. Add skewers and cook, turning halfway, for 6–8 minutes or until mushrooms are tender and shallots are slightly charred. Transfer to a lined tray and brush with prepared sticky sauce. Scatter with sesame seeds. Spoon 2 teaspoons of mayonnaise into each bao bun. Fill with cucumber, radish and half a skewer. Scatter with coriander leaves and serve.