If you have not tried a bao bun, please let me introduce you to these amazing treats. Think light fluffy dough steamed to perfection and filled with your favorite toppings. I love bites of fried chicken in mine, but our entire family agreed this pork belly recipe was one of our new favorites!
I am including my go to recipe for the bun dough, but you can also buy the buns premade at your local Asian market if you have one.
When you steam the buns the key is to keep the dough from sticking. I like spraying with olive oil just to be safe.
Choose whatever toppings you enjoy. Spicy mayo, toasted sesame seeds, and nappa cabbage really cut through the richness of the pork in this one.
Ingredients:
For the bun –
300 grams of all purpose flour
1 packet of active yeast or 7 grams
80 grams of warm water
80 grams of warm milk
1/2 tsp of salt
For the filling-
2 pounds of pork belly
2 tbsp of hoisin sauce
2 tbsp of brown sugar
1 tbsp of garlic
1 tbsp of soy sauce
1 tsp of white pepper
Nappa cabbage chopped or sliced thin
Toasted sesame seeds
Hot sauce of choice
Directions:
Add yeast to warmed water and leave to bubble for 15 minutes
Mix in the flour, milk and salt until it starts to form a dough
Knead by hand until you form a ball
Cover in a bowl for 1 hour until about doubled in size
Cut into 20 equal pieces and roll into balls
Leave to rise for 15 minutes
Roll out into a circle and spay with cooking oil or drizzle with oil to keep from sticking
Steam for 8 minutes (over parchment paper is best) or until dough is cooked through
Let cool until filling is ready
In an instapot or pressure cooker add in the pork belly
Mix the sauce ingredients and pour over the pork
Cook on high pressure for 20 minutes
After letting the pressure release on its own you can sear the pieces in the instapot or in a pan
Let the liquid from the instapot reduce down into your sauce for the pork
The pork belly should be tender and covered in the sticky sauce
Cut into pieces to fit on the buns
Layer with the cabbage and sprinkle with the sesame seeds
Enjoy!
