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Mongolia vegan banshtai tsai recipe milk tea with dumplings
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Vegan banshtai tsai

Banshtai tsai, or milk tea with dumplings, is a traditional Mongolian comfort food made by simmering dumplings in a savory broth of milk and tea.
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine Mongolia, Southeast Asian
Keyword Dumplings, East asia, soup
Servings 2

Ingredients

Dumplings (bansh)

  • 150 mL vegan mince (rehydrated volume) e.g. dried TVP
  • 2-4 mushrooms, dried or fresh
  • 3 tbsp onion, chopped finely
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 dash soy sauce optional
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 200 mL all purpose flour
  • 50-100 mL water

Milk tea

  • 1-2 tbsp Black loose leaf tea or 1-2 tea bag
  • 300 mL water
  • 300 mL plant-based milk
  • ½ onion, cut into wedges
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 carrot, sliced into coins
  • 50 mL millet
  • 1 tbsp all purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp vegan margarine or butter
  • salt to taste

Instructions

Dumplings (bansh)

  • If using dried TVP (textured vegetable protein, dry soy mince) and mushrooms, rehydrate by soaking in boiling water for 15+ minutes.
  • Prepare the dough by mixing flour and water. Add water a little at a time. The final dough should be quite tough.
    Let dough rest for 15+ minutes while preparing the filling.
  • Finely chop the mushrooms (fresh or rehydrated). Mix Vegan mince, mushrooms, onion, garlic, and salt.
  • When the dough has rested, roll it into a long roll, ~2 cm diameter. Cut 3 cm pieces, roll them into balls.
    Use a rolling pin to flatten the balls into discs, about 7 cm in diameter and 1 mm thick, slightly thicker in the centre.
  • Place a spoon-full of filling on the disc, fold the edges over and pinch the edges together to seal.
  • Let dumplings rest while making the soup.

Milk tea

  • Prepare the tea by boiling tea leaves (lose or bagged) in water for several minutes. The tea should be strong. Strain and set aside.
  • Add margarine to a pot on medium heat. When bubbling, add the millet. Toast until the millet starts to brown. Add the flour and stir for another minute.
    Remove from heat and set aside for later.
  • In the same pot, add the strained tea, onion, garlic, carrot and salt to taste. Bring to a simmer and add back the flour and millet mixture.
  • Let simmer for 15 minutes until the carrots and millet start to soften.
  • Add the milk and dumplings.
  • Simmer until the dumplings are ready, about 10 min.