Ingredients

Dough:

• 3/4 Cup Aquafaba
• 1/4 Cup Warm Water
• 1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
• 1 (1/4 Ounce) Packet (or 2 1/4 Teaspoons) Active Dry Yeast
• 1 Tablespoon Toasted Sesame Oil
• 3 Cups Bread Flour
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt

Scallion-Herb Filling:

• 1 Bundle (About 1 Cup) Scallions, Roughly Chopped
• 1 Bundle (About 1 Cup) Cilantro, Roughly Chopped
• 2 Tablespoons Toasted White and/or Black Sesame Seeds
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 Teaspoon Ground White Pepper
• 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Red Sichuan Peppercorns
• 2 Tablespoons Toasted Sesame Oil

To Garnish (Optional):

• Toasted Sesame Oil
• Toasted White and/or Black Sesame Seeds

Instructions

1. To make the dough, begin by combining the aquafaba, water, sugar, and yeast in the bowl of your stand mixer. Let stand for 5 - 10 minutes, until the yeast has reactivated and become frothy. Mix in the sesame oil, flour, and salt. Once incorporated, switch over to the dough hook attachment and allow the mixer to knead on low speed for about 10 minutes. You can also do this by hand for 15 - 20 minutes instead. The resulting dough should be smooth and elastic, soft and tacky, but not sticky.
2. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover with a kitchen towel. Let rest in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size; 1 - 1 1/2 hours.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the filling by simply stirring the chopped herbs, sesame seeds, salt, peppers, and sesame oil together in a medium bowl. Mix until thoroughly combined, and store in the fridge until ready to use.
4. Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto a well-floured surface. Cut the dough into 12 equal pieces, rolling each into a round ball.
5. Use a rolling pin to flatten each one out to about 1/4-inch thick. Apply a light dusting of flour as needed to prevent it from sticking, creating a roughly rectangular shape. The dimensions are less important than the overall thickness.
6. Use a very sharp knife to slice vertical strips, without cutting all the way through at one end. Spread 1 - 2 tablespoons of the scallion-herb filling on top, twist the strands together, and wrap them around to make a bun, placing the ends underneath. Set the finished bun on a parchment paper- or silicone baking mat-lined sheet pan. Repeat until all the dough and filling has been used.
7. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Lightly brush the tops with sesame oil and sprinkle with additional sesame seeds, if desired. Place the buns in the oven and bake for 15 - 18 minutes, until golden brown all over. Let cool for at least 15 minutes. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.

Notes

Recommended Products

Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. I have experience with all of these companies and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something through my links.

• 
  McCormick Gourmet Organic Ground White Pepper, 1.75 oz
• 
  Simply Organic Certified Black Whole Sesame Seed, 3.28 oz
• 
  La Tourangelle Toasted Sesame Oil

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.