Crispy Pork Belly Bao Buns Recipes

PORK BELLY BAO

Steps:

• Combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder, green onions and 4 cups water in a pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Let cool to room temperature. Combine the marinade and the pork belly in a pan, cover and marinate for 24 hours in the refrigerator.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Set the pan with the pork belly and marinade in the oven. Cook until tender, about 3 hours.
• Remove the pan from the oven. Set a second pan directly on the pork belly and weight it with canned goods to compress the pork belly. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or until the pork belly is firm.
• Crush the roasted peanuts in a food processor or with a mortar and pestle. Mix in the raw sugar. Set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, white onions and preserved mustard greens. Saute for 2 minutes. Stir in the sweet soy sauce. Set aside.
• Slice the pork belly into 3-inch-long blocks, and then cut into 1/2-inch-thick rectangles. Sear on both sides in a little oil until golden brown.
• Set up a steamer and steam the gua bao until soft and fluffy.
• Open up the steamed buns. Spread each with 1/2 tablespoon of the hoisin and then top with a slice of pork belly and 1 tablespoon of the preserved mustard green mixture. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the crushed peanuts and some chopped cilantro.

PORK BELLY BAO

Steps:

• Mix together the sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, hoisin, garlic, ginger and a generous amount of pepper in a medium bowl. Cut the pork belly in half and place in an 8-inch square baking dish with the fatty side up. Pour the marinade over top of the pork belly, cover tightly with foil and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Bake, covered, until the pork is tender and easy to shred with a fork, about 2 hours. Remove to a cutting board and set aside. Pour the cooking liquid into a medium skillet, bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, whisking occasionally, until reduced by half, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, steam the bao buns according to the package directions.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a small skillet over high heat until very hot. Add the scallions and jalapeño and cook until just starting to turn tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a small plate.
• Slice the pork belly into 15 pieces. Once the cooking liquid has been reduced, turn the heat off, place the pork belly into the skillet and flip once just to coat with the sauce.
• Place a piece of pork belly in each bun, sprinkle with the scallion-jalapeño mixture and garnish with a few cilantro leaves. Serve immediately.

STICKY PORK BELLY BAO BUNS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole dish over a medium-high heat. In batches, brown the pork belly well, then transfer to a plate. Tip the sugar into the dish and cook over a medium heat until starting to dissolve and caramelise, then quickly stir in the garlic, ginger and star anise, and cook for 1 min.
• Carefully pour in the rice wine and soy sauce - watch out, it will spatter - and simmer to dissolve the sugar. Stir the pork into the caramel to coat, then add 100ml water and the five-spice, and bring to a simmer. Put the lid on and cook in the oven for 1 hr 30 mins. Remove from the oven, uncover, put on a high heat to simmer and reduce the sauce until sticky. Can be prepared up to 2 days ahead and chilled. Reheat with a splash of water.
• To make the chilli peanuts, mash most of the peanuts using a pestle and mortar, then add the rest of the nuts and roughly crush for a chunky texture. Stir through the togarashi powder. Can be made 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container.
• For the buns, tip the dry ingredients and a large pinch of salt into a food mixer fitted with a dough hook. Pour in the milk, oil and 100ml tepid water, and work the mixture for about 10 mins until smooth and elastic. Transfer to a greased bowl, cover with cling film and leave to double in size (for about 1 hr)
• Tip the dough onto a floured surface and roll into a sausage shape. Cut the sausage into 10 equal portions. Roll each portion into a bun, then use a rolling pin to roll each bun out into an oval. Lightly grease each one, then fold them over a greased chopstick or skewer and place on a lightly oiled baking tray to rest for 1 hr or until doubled in size. Remove the chopstick or skewer before steaming.
• Heat a steamer and steam the buns on circles of baking parchment in batches for about 10 mins until puffed up. Split the buns and stuff each one with a slice or two of the pork, drizzled with some of the sauce. Scatter over some coriander, cucumber and spring onions, then sprinkle with the crushed nuts and tuck in.

BRAISED PORK BELLY BAO

Steps:

• For the pork belly: Bring a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot of water to a boil. Add the pork belly and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from the pot, rinse under cold water and then dry with some paper towels. Slice the pork into 3 even pieces and set aside.
• Heat a wok over high heat and add the peanut oil. When the oil begins to smoke, add the pork pieces and stir-fry for about 1 minute per side to brown. When the pork is browned, add the dark soy and stir-fry for another 2 minutes. Transfer the pork to a plate that will fit inside a large bamboo steamer with at least a 1-inch margin between the plate and the steamer.
• For the sauce: In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir to combine the vegetable stock, light soy sauce, brown sugar and rice wine; set aside. Reheat the wok and add the peanut oil. When the oil is hot, add the ginger, Sichuan peppercorns and star anise and then stir-fry for a few seconds. Add in the sauce and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and pour the sauce over the pork.
• Place the plate of pork into a steamer over a wok or pot filled halfway with water and bring to a boil. Steam the pork over medium heat until the pork is tender, 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours. Check the pot occasionally to be sure that the water hasn't completely evaporated.
• Remove the pork from the steamer and transfer all of the juices from the pork into a small wok or pan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and stir in the cornstarch slurry. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes to thicken the sauce.
• In a mortar and pestle, crush the peanuts, or finely chop them with your knife. Combine the peanuts and brown sugar; set aside until ready to serve.
• Slice the pork belly. Fill each bao bun with a slice of pork and a few tablespoons of the thickened pork sauce, garnish with the sweetened peanut crumble, Quick Cucumber and Shallot Pickle, scallions and fresh cilantro.
• Put the cucumbers and shallots in a medium bowl.
• In a small saucepan, add the mirin, rice vinegar and sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and let cool. Pour the vinegar mixture over the vegetables and let marinate for 15 minutes or longer before serving.