Name: Gua Bao
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Taiwanese
Ingredients: 500 g pork belly; 80 ml soy sauce; 60 ml rice wine; 50 g brown sugar; 1 tsp five spice powder; 4 cloves garlic; 300 g flour; 1 tsp instant yeast; 30 g sugar; 50 g crushed peanuts; 1 bunch fresh cilantro; 100 g pickled mustard greens

Ingredients

Servings

500g pork_belly
80ml soy_sauce
60ml rice_wine
50g brown_sugar
1tsp five_spice
4cloves garlic
300g all_purpose_flour, for buns
1tsp yeast
30g sugar, for buns
50g peanut
1bunch cilantro
100g pickle

Equipment Needed

bamboo_steamer

Instructions

1
Braise pork belly: combine soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, five spice, and garlic in a pot. Add pork belly, cover with water, and simmer for 2 hours until tender.
2
Make bun dough: mix flour, yeast, sugar, and warm water. Knead until smooth. Let rise for 1 hour.
3
Divide dough into 8 pieces. Roll each into an oval, brush with oil, fold in half. Let rest 20 minutes.
4
Steam buns for 10 minutes until puffy and cooked through.
5
Slice braised pork belly into thick pieces.
6
Assemble: place pork in bun, top with pickled greens, crushed peanuts, and cilantro.

Tips

You can buy pre-made bao buns from Asian grocery stores to save time.
The pork can be braised a day ahead - it slices better when cold.