Crispy Steamed Pork Belly Bao Buns
Looking to try your hands at an authentic Asian delicacy? The Pork Belly Bao, also known as Guangzhou's Gua bao, is a scrumptious sandwich-style dish filled with tender pork belly slices, tangy pickled veggies, and a sweet-and-savoury sauce, bundled in a soft, fluffy bun. It's a balanced combination of flavours and textures - crunchy, juicy, sweet and tangy.
Ingredients
For the Bao Buns:
- 2 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon of active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon of sugar
- 1⁄2 teaspoon of salt
- 3⁄4 Cup of warm milk
For the Pork Belly:
- 500 g of pork belly
- salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon of Hoisin sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 slices of ginger
For Assembling:
- 2 scallions, finely chopped
- 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
- sour pickles
- Sriracha sauce or hoisin sauce (optional)
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Directions
Start by preparing the Bao buns. Mix all-purpose flour, active dry yeast, sugar, salt, and warm milk in a bowl. Knead it into a dough and leave it to rise for about 1 hour, or until it doubles in size.
After it has risen, punch down the dough and knead again for about 5 minutes. Divide into 8 equal portions, shape them into ovals, place a piece of wax paper in the middle and fold into half. Let them rest for another 30 minutes.
While the baos are resting, prepare the pork belly. Season it with salt, soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, minced garlic, and ginger. Leave it to marinate for about 30 minutes.
After marinating, place the pork belly in a baking tray and bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for an hour. After baking, let it cool and then slice it into thin pieces.
Steam the bao buns in a bamboo steamer over boiling water for about 12 minutes until they become fluffy.
Assemble the bao buns. First, add sliced cucumbers, then place the sliced pork belly. You can also add pickles and drizzle some Sriracha or Hoisin sauce, and garnish with chopped scallions.
Repeat until all bao buns are filled.
Serve immediately and enjoy your delicious Pork Belly Bao!