Pork Belly Bao Buns

Fluffy bao buns with sticky pork belly topping.

Gua Bao is a delicious Asian street food featuring soft, fluffy bao buns stuffed with slow-cooked, sticky pork belly topped with fresh cilantro, sliced red chillies, spring onions, sesame seeds, and chopped cashews. This recipe guides you through creating this dish from scratch, providing a step-by-step approach to making both the buns and the tender pork filling.

Recipe Details

  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 3 hours
  • Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
  • Servings: 10 bao buns

Full Ingredient List

  • 450 g all-purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp caster sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp instant dried yeast
  • 3 tbsp whole milk
  • 210 ml warm water
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 kg pork belly slices
  • 1 litre chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 tbsp minced ginger
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 tbsp rice wine
  • 1 tbsp caster sugar
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • pinch of salt and pepper
  • 1 red chilli, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tsp lemongrass paste
  • 1 bunch cilantro, roughly torn
  • 2 red chillies, sliced
  • 4 spring onions, sliced
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds
  • 2 tbsp toasted cashew nuts, chopped

Steamed Buns

Tools and Equipment

  • mixing bowl
  • jug
  • spoon
  • steam pan
  • rolling pin

Ingredients

Quantity Name Preparation Notes Substitutions
450 g all-purpose flour
2 tbsp caster sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp instant dried yeast equivalent to one packet or 7g
3 tbsp whole milk
210 ml warm water 3/4 cups + 2 tbsp
3 tbsp unsalted butter very soft
1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

  1. Step 1: Mix all-purpose flour, caster sugar, salt, and instant dried yeast in a bowl.
  2. Step 2: Combine whole milk, warm water, and unsalted butter in a jug until the butter melts.
  3. Step 3: Stir the liquid into the dry ingredients, then knead for 10 minutes. Let rise for about 90 minutes until doubled in size.
  4. Step 4: Knead again, divide into 10 balls, roll into ovals, brush with olive oil, and fold.
  5. Step 5: Let rise again for 60 minutes until puffed up, then steam for 15 minutes.

Sticky Pork Belly

Tools and Equipment

  • pan
  • frying pan
  • spoon
  • knife
  • chopping board
  • bowls

Ingredients

Quantity Name Preparation Notes Substitutions
1 kg pork belly slices rindless, chopped in half
1 litre chicken or vegetable stock hot
1 tbsp minced ginger
3 cloves garlic peeled and chopped in half
1 tbsp rice wine
1 tbsp caster sugar
2 tbsp vegetable oil
pinch salt and pepper
1 tbsp minced ginger
1 red chilli finely chopped
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp lemongrass paste

Instructions

  1. Step 1: Add pork belly, stock, ginger, garlic, rice wine, and sugar to a pan. Simmer for 2 hours until tender.
  2. Step 2: Drain the pork and slice it. Fry in oil with salt and pepper until golden brown.
  3. Step 3: Add minced ginger, chili, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, and lemongrass paste. Bubble until dark and sticky.

Nutritional Information

  • Calories: 667
  • Protein: 34g
  • Fat: 37g
  • Carbohydrates: 49g
  • Fiber: 2g
  • Sugar: 11g

Additional Information

Notes: You can prepare the pork belly and the buns ahead of time and reheat before serving. The buns can also be frozen and reheated from frozen.

Background: Gua Bao is a traditional dish from Taiwan, often sold by street vendors and popular for its savory and sweet flavor combination.

Geographic Region: Taiwan

Seasonality: Year-round

Occasion: Casual dinner, Street food gatherings

Recommended Pairings

  • Light Asian salads
  • Jasmine tea

Tags

Asian Street Food Pork Buns Dinner Main Course