Recipe from Polish’d: Modern Vegetarian Cooking from Global Poland © Michał Korkosz, 2023.Reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Experiment. Available everywhere books are sold. theexperimentpublishing.com 

Parowańce (Steamed Buns) with fava beans, oyster mushrooms, and lemony tahini sauce

Serves 6 as a starter or 3 as a main dish

When I pick up a steamed bun, it’s like holding a cloud. These buns have so many names. Among my friends they’re referred to as pyzy, pampuchy, buchty, parowce, porowańce, and paruchy. But my favorite will always be ruchańce, which is a popular swear word. These buns, which I like to eat from my hand, are usually served with a dollop of whipped cream and bilberries, but I prefer savory stuffing (they remind me a bit of Chinese bao). In the spring, I stuff my ruchańce with fava beans and golden fried oyster mushrooms and top with zingy tahini sauce and refreshing mint.

Ingredients

Instructions

1. To make the buns, combine the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the milk, egg, egg yolk, and oil. Knead on medium speed until the dough is soft, 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Drizzle with oil and cover the bowl with a kitchen towel. Let sit in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
3. Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and divide into six equal pieces. Shape each piece into a round bun, with the seam on the bottom. Cover with a kitchen towel and let sit for 20 minutes, until risen and puffy.
4. To make the filling and sauce, combine the tahini and soy sauce in a medium bowl. Stir in ½ cup (120 ml) water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the sauce becomes thin. Add the lemon juice and garlic, and season with salt and pepper.
5. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fava beans and cook until tender, 8 to 15 minutes (fava beans cook quicker at the beginning of the season). Transfer to a colander and rinse with very cold running water. Let sit until cool and then remove the skins.
6. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat (make sure the skillet is hot or the mushrooms will be soggy). Cook the mushrooms without stirring for the first 2 to 3 minutes, then continue until golden and crispy, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the mushrooms from the skillet and place on a paper or kitchen towel. Season with salt and pepper and combine with the fava beans.
7. To serve, slit the buns on top, hot dog style. Slather with the tahini sauce and stuff with the mushrooms and fava beans. Drizzle with more sauce and top with mint.

Michał Korkosz won the 2017 Saveur Blog Award for best food photography (both Editors’ and Readers’ Choice). He is a food journalist (a contributor to Vogue Polska), cake lover, and croissant gourmand. On his blog, Rozkoszny (which means “delightful”), he connects his love of cooking with another hobby—photography that captures both his delicious dishes and the loved ones he shares them with. He was born and raised in Poland and lives in Warsaw. Follow him on Instagram at @rozkoszny @michal_korkosz.