CORNMEAL BAO WITH TURKEY AND BLACK PEPPER SAUCE

Cornmeal Bao With Turkey and Black Pepper Sauce image

These pillowy steamed buns are delicious in all the same ways as Parker House rolls, with the sweet flavor of cornmeal.

Provided by Josh Walker

Categories Bon Appétit Thanksgiving turkey Cornmeal Chile Pepper Sandwich Dinner

Yield Makes about 16 servings

Number Of Ingredients 19

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Ingredients

Cornmeal Bao:
2 tablespoons sugar
1 (1/4-ounce) envelope active dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup Jiffy corn muffin mix
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more
Sauce and assembly:
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 green or red Thai chile, thinly sliced
1 (1/2-inch) piece ginger, peeled, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons dark or regular soy sauce
2 tablespoons mushroom or regular soy sauce
2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pastrami-Style Grilled Turkey Breast, mayonnaise, bread-and-butter pickles, shredded carrots, and cilantro leaves with tender stems (for serving)

Steps:

Cornmeal Bao:
Stir sugar and yeast into 2/3 cup warm (100°) water in a small bowl. Let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes. Whisk flour, corn muffin mix, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl to combine. Stir sugar mixture into dry ingredients, then stir in 2 Tbsp. oil. Mix just until a shaggy dough forms.
Turn dough out onto a work surface. Gently knead just until smooth (be careful not to overwork). Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm spot until dough is puffed and yields easily when poked, about 1 1/2 hours.
Divide dough into 16 balls and gently roll between your palms until smooth. Roll out each ball to a 6x3" oval, lightly brush with oil, then fold in half crosswise. Cover bao with a damp cloth and let rise until slightly puffy, 60-90 minutes.
Place a bamboo steamer lined with parchment paper over a large pot of simmering water (or you can use a steamer basket). Steam bao in batches until firm to the touch and cooked through, 10-12 minutes per batch.
Sauce and assembly:
Cook sugar and soy sauce in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until sugar is dissolved; let cool.
Transfer to a small bowl and mix in chile, ginger, garlic, dark soy sauce, mushroom soy sauce, vinegar, and pepper. Let black pepper sauce sit 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
Build sandwiches with bao using turkey, black pepper sauce, mayonnaise, pickles, carrots, and cilantro.
Do Ahead
Dough can be made 12 hours ahead; chill instead of letting rise. Let rise 2 hours. Bao can be steamed 1 week ahead; tightly wrap and freeze. Thaw and steam 3 minutes to restore softness just before serving. Sauce can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.