Name: Sticky pork belly bao buns
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 40 min
Yield: 1
Ingredients: 1 tbsp sunflower oil -; 800g piece boneless pork belly , cut into thick slices -; 4 tbsp light muscovado sugar -; 3 garlic cloves , sliced -; thumb-sized piece ginger , sliced -; 2 star anise -; 100ml Shaosing rice wine -; 2 tbsp dark soy sauce -; large pinch of Chinese five-spice powder -; 250g plain flour , plus extra for dusting -; 1 tbsp white caster sugar -; 1 tsp baking powder -; 2 tsp fast-action dried yeast -; 50ml milk -; 1 tbsp sunflower oil , plus extra for greasing -; handful roasted peanuts -; 1 tsp togarashi spice mix (see tip below) -; Coriander leaves -; cucumber batons -; shredded spring onion -

Recipe information

Cooking:

40 min.

Servings per container:

Source:

More details

Ingredients for - Sticky pork belly bao buns

1. 1 tbsp sunflower oil -

2. 800g piece boneless pork belly , cut into thick slices -

3. 4 tbsp light muscovado sugar -

4. 3 garlic cloves , sliced -

5. thumb-sized piece ginger , sliced -

6. 2 star anise -

7. 100ml Shaosing rice wine -

8. 2 tbsp dark soy sauce -

9. large pinch of Chinese five-spice powder -

10. 250g plain flour , plus extra for dusting -

11. 1 tbsp white caster sugar -

12. 1 tsp baking powder -

13. 2 tsp fast-action dried yeast -

14. 50ml milk -

15. 1 tbsp sunflower oil , plus extra for greasing -

16. handful roasted peanuts -

17. 1 tsp togarashi spice mix (see tip below) -

18. Coriander leaves -

19. cucumber batons -

20. shredded spring onion -

How to cook deliciously - Sticky pork belly bao buns

1. Stage

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.

2. Stage

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.

3. Stage

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.

4. Stage

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)

5. Stage

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.

6. Stage

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.