GoodFor
Charcoal burger buns with crumbed tofu & tahini slaw
Good Food, Good Company is our series of easy, delicious recipes from some of our favourite cooks. Food to cook, eat and share in good company. Kylee Newton - preserver, cook, writer and educator shares her recipes for charcoal burger buns with crumbed tofu and tahini slaw.
"Activated charcoal is known to bind toxins, helping to create less waste for your body to filter through the kidneys, a great way to detox. It’s also believed to lower cholesterol and relieve flatulence. But aside from these health benefits it makes fun black food, contrasted here with tofu and a colourful slaw.
I’ve tested these vegan brioche burger buns to perfection and although best eaten fresh the day you make them, you can also freeze them for another occasion."
Ingredients
Vegan charcoal brioche buns (Makes 6)
- 1 1/2 tsp activated baker's yeast
- 130ml oat milk, lukewarm
- 120g white organic spelt flour
- 140g high grade/00 bakers flour, extra for dusting
- 1 tbsp organic activated charcoal
- 2 tbsp coconut sugar, or raw sugar
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 3 tbsp aquafaba, brine from tinned chickpeas
- 25g coconut oil, softened not melted
- 2 tbsp oat milk
Crumbed tofu (Makes 6)
- 600g organic firm tofu
- 80ml aquafaba, brine from tinned chickpeas
- 1/2 nori sheet, blitzed (optional)
- 3/4 tsp black sesame seeds
- 1 tsp flaky sea salt
- 200ml frying oil, sunflower or canola
Tahini slaw
- 200g cabbage, red, green or mixture
- 1 small carrot, grated
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 1 tsp mustard, wholegrain or Dijon
- freshly cracked pepper & sea salt
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp water
Method
Charcoal bun method:
Mix the yeast into lukewarm oat milk, between 30-40°C (any warmer will kill the yeast). Leave to activate for 6-8 minutes.
In a stand mixer or in a large bowl, mix the flour’s together with the charcoal, sugar, and salt, then stir through the aquafaba. Add the yeasted milk and mix until well combined.
With the hook attachment of your stand mixer knead in the coconut oil bit by bit, until completely mixed through, adding an extra tablespoon of flour, kneading for 5 minutes until smooth. Alternately, with the dough on a well flour-dusted bench top, knead in the coconut oil, bit by bit, kneading for 6-8 minutes until smooth. Fold the dough edges into itself, on the underside, making a smooth ball to place into a large oil greased bowl, cover with a t-towel, and prove at room temperature for 1 hour.
The dough should have risen and doubled. Punch the middle with your fist and remove from the bowl onto a lightly flour dusted surface. Cut the dough like you would a pizza, into 6 equal parts, about 80g each. Fold each onto itself a few times before rolling into round balls using cupped hands. Place on a baking paper lined baking tray, dusted with flour, cover with a t-towel, and prove for another hour.
Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C fan. Once the buns have proved, brush the tops with oat milk and sprinkle the sesame seeds on top. Bake in the middle of the oven for 14-15 minutes. Remove and allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing through the middle. Fill the buns with the crumbed tofu and tahini slaw!
Crumbed tofu method
While the buns are proving, cut each 300g tofu block into three making six smaller blocks. Place them in a flat container lined with paper towel, cover with another paper towel and place something on top to weight it down, pressing the tofu, extracting any excess moisture. Press for at least 30 minutes.
Set up three plates, one with flour, one with aquafaba and the last with panko crumbs mixed with the crushed nori, sesame seeds and salt.
Heat the oil on a high heat, in a large frying pan/skillet. Once hot, lower the heat to medium and add the tofu in batches, gently sizzling for 3-5 minutes on each side, until golden on each side. Drain on a baking tray lined with paper towel and keep warm in the oven at 100°C (once the buns have been removed).
Tahini slaw method
Finely slice the cabbage into ribbons, or a mixture of any leaves you have in the fridge (beetroot or radish leaves, spinach, cavolo nero, fennel). Place in a bowl with the grated carrot and stir through the sesame seeds and vinegar. In a jar, add the tahini, mustard, pepper and salt, lemon juice and water, screw on the lid and shake vigorously, mix through the slaw until everything has been coated.
