Recipe courtesy of Fat Choy
Pork Belly Bao
- Level: Advanced
- Total: 35 hr 30 min (includes cooling, marinating and pressing time)
- Active: 1 hr 30 min
- Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
2 cups soy sauce
2 cups brown sugar
3 tablespoons garlic powder
5 green onions
2 pounds pork belly, skin off
1/2 cup roasted peanuts
2 teaspoons raw sugar
Vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon chopped white onion
1 head preserved mustard greens, chopped
2 tablespoons sweet soy sauce
3 teaspoons cilantro leaves, chopped
6 gua bao (pork belly buns)
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
Directions
- Combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder, green onions and 4 cups water in a pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Let cool to room temperature. Combine the marinade and the pork belly in a pan, cover and marinate for 24 hours in the refrigerator.
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Set the pan with the pork belly and marinade in the oven. Cook until tender, about 3 hours.
- Remove the pan from the oven. Set a second pan directly on the pork belly and weight it with canned goods to compress the pork belly. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or until the pork belly is firm.
- Crush the roasted peanuts in a food processor or with a mortar and pestle. Mix in the raw sugar. Set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, white onions and preserved mustard greens. Saute for 2 minutes. Stir in the sweet soy sauce. Set aside.
- Slice the pork belly into 3-inch-long blocks, and then cut into 1/2-inch-thick rectangles. Sear on both sides in a little oil until golden brown.
- Set up a steamer and steam the gua bao until soft and fluffy.
- Open up the steamed buns. Spread each with 1/2 tablespoon of the hoisin and then top with a slice of pork belly and 1 tablespoon of the preserved mustard green mixture. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the crushed peanuts and some chopped cilantro.
