Taiwanese Steamed Pork Buns (Gua Bao Recipe)

By Souped Up Recipes · 180 min

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Cut the pork belly into slabs about 2/3 inch (about 1.5 cm) thick and sear them in a clay pot or stock pot for a couple of minutes, just enough to render about 1.5 tbsp of fat. Do not brown until golden, or the meat turns dry and stringy.
2. Remove the pork. In the rendered fat, saute the shallots, garlic, ginger, star anise, cinnamon and bay leaves over low heat until golden brown and the bottom of the pot feels slightly sticky.
3. Add the five-spice powder, white pepper, sugar, Chinese cooking wine, soy sauce and dark soy sauce.
4. Return the pork to the pot, add 2-3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Arrange the pieces so they stay under the liquid, then turn to the lowest heat and simmer for 1.5 hours.
5. Stir 2 tbsp sugar and 2 tsp active dry yeast into 210 g of lukewarm water and wait a few minutes until it foams. Instant yeast needs no waiting.
6. Combine the yeast water with the flour and knead for 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky.
7. Cover the dough and let it proof for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
8. Punch down and knead the dough, divide it into 12 pieces and roll each into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap so they do not dry out.
9. Roll one ball into a flat oval, dusting with a little flour if needed. Brush oil over half of it, fold it over, and place it on parchment paper in the steamer. Repeat with the other pieces.
10. Let the buns proof in the steamer for 20 more minutes, until 1.5 times their size.
11. Bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat, then steam the buns for 12 minutes.
12. Turn off the heat and let the buns rest in the steamer for 10 minutes before opening the lid, so they do not shrink.
13. Blend 1/2 cup of roasted unsalted peanuts with 3 tbsp sugar into a coarse powder and set aside. Rinse the pickled mustard greens, squeeze out the water and dice them. Saute them in a spoonful of the braising fat for a few minutes, then set aside.
14. Cut the braised pork into pieces about 2.5 inches wide, or the same width as the buns.
15. Open a bun, add mustard greens and a piece of pork, drizzle with a teaspoon of braising liquid, sprinkle with peanut powder and top with cilantro and optional diced chili.

Summarized from Souped Up Recipes's video. Watch it for the details.

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