Taiwan
Gua Bao
The folded steamed bun with braised pork belly
Gua bao – “cut bun” – is Taiwanese street food: a soft, steamed folding bun filled with braised pork belly, pickled mustard greens, peanut powder and coriander.
Contrast makes it: steam-soft dough, tender-sweet pork belly, crunchy peanut powder and tangy greens. In the West it became a trend as “bao”.
Ingredients
- Bao buns (folding)6
- Pork belly600 g
- Soy sauce & Shaoxing wine3 tbsp each
- Sugar & five-spice1 tbsp each
- Pickled mustard greens1 handful
- Peanut powder3 tbsp
- Coriander1 handful
★ = available authentic in the Asia Boutique
Preparation
Sear the pork belly in thick strips.
Braise with soy sauce, wine, sugar and five-spice for 1 hr until tender.
Steam the bao buns for 8–10 min until soft and fluffy.
Grind peanuts with a little sugar into powder.
Fill the buns with pork belly, mustard greens, peanut powder and coriander.
Make it original
Steamed bao buns, Shaoxing wine and five-spice are the key. Available in the Asia Boutique.