Sam says: Bao buns and kits are readily available, and making your own fillings is quick and easy. This vegan filling is made with aubergine coated in a potent, salty-sweet sauce and it’s my absolute favourite. Pile the aubergine up high in your bao buns and top it with a heap of fiery smacked cucumber. Both can be made up to a day in advance.

Makes 16 bao buns

Ingredients

For the smacked cucumber

1 cucumber, trimmed and halved lengthways, seeds removed with a spoon
4 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp caster sugar
1 red chilli, finely chopped
1 tsp Maldon salt

For the sticky aubergine bao buns

4 tbsp light soy sauce
4 tbsp smooth peanut butter
2 tbsp runny honey or maple syrup
1 tbsp red miso paste
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp rice vinegar
2 garlic cloves, crushed
4 aubergines, cut into 1cm cubes
120ml rapeseed oil
3 tbsp white sesame seeds
16 ready-made bao buns
2 bunches of spring onions, cut into matchsticks
small bunch of coriander, leaves picked

Method

To make the smacked cucumber, slice the cucumber halves widthways into thin halfmoon shapes. Whisk the rice vinegar, caster sugar, chilli and salt in a bowl and add the cucumber. Toss the cucumber in the dressing, cover and keep in the fridge for up to 24 hours.

To make the aubergine sauce, put the soy sauce, peanut butter, honey or maple syrup, miso paste, sesame oil, rice vinegar and crushed garlic into a small food processor or bowl. Blitz or whisk to a thin sauce and set aside.

Tip the cubed aubergine into a large bowl and add the rapeseed oil. Toss with your hands until the aubergine is evenly coated.

Heat a large frying pan over a high heat and add a third of the aubergine. Fry for 6–8 minutes, turning and pressing lightly on the chunks until they are golden all over. Tip onto a plate and repeat with the remaining aubergine.

Return all the aubergine to the pan, add the sauce and stir gently to coat the aubergine, without squashing the chunks. Heat until piping hot and add 2 tablespoons of the sesame seeds.

To serve, place a few spoonfuls of the sticky aubergine into each bao bun. Sprinkle the remaining sesame seeds, spring onions and coriander over the top. Serve with the smacked cucumber salad.

The aubergine sauce will keep in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Heat until piping hot before serving.

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