Watch this recipe demonstrated by Chef Paul Onishi on the Tasty and Meatless DVD “Hawaii’s Local Favorites.”  Our vegan version delivers all the flavor of Asian style barbecue, achieved by adding Hoisin sauce to your favorite bottled brand, with none of the cholesterol usually found in this dish.

  • soybeefbuns1/2 cup dehydrated soy beef ground
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons vegetarian chicken broth
  • 1 block firm tofu, diced small (organic is best)
  • 1/2 cup bamboo shoots, chopped finely
  • 1/3 cup barbecue sauce
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon Hoisin Sauce
  • 1/4 cup green onions, chopped finely
  • 2 packages of Shao Bing sesame buns or pita bread or rice

First, hydrate the soy beef. In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil, add the vegetarian chicken broth and the dry soy beef. Stir and let sit until the soy beef soaks up all the water, about 10 minutes. The soy beef will get tender and absorb the flavor of the seasoning. It will resemble ground beef at this point (but no cholesterol!)

Heat a skillet over medium heat, and add the soy cheese, bamboo shoots, BBQ sauce, and Hoisin sauce. Stir until everything is mixed and heated through. Add this sauce mixture to the hydrated soy beef and mix well. Add the green onions last so they retain their color and crunchiness.

Heat the oven to 350*. Lay the sesame buns on a cookie sheet in a single layer and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool, then cut each one in half. With a spoon split open the center to create a space, and stuff the filling inside.

You can also serve the filling over rice or in a pita with fresh sprouts, lettuce, and grated carrots as a sandwich.