Veggie gua bao

Overview

• Steamed buns
• Seasoned veggie pork belly
• Cilantro
• Pickled mustard greens
• Peanuts and sugar mixed together in blender to a course grind [½ cup roasted, unsalted peanuts & 1TB rock, brown, or raw sugar]

Spread pickled mustard greens inside each steamed bun and set a piece of pork belly on top of mustard greens. Top pork belly with a pinch of the chopped cilantro and a sprinkle of the peanut powder. Serve immediately.

Seasoned veggie pork belly

Pictured is the version of veggie pork belly with pepper. We now always use the non-peppered version.

We buy veggie pork belly from Verisoy in Taiwan as pictured. In Seattle we buy these at the Viet-Wah supermarket near 12th and Jackson. There are versions with black pepper and without. We prefer the version without black pepper.

• Take veggie pork belly and split into either 4 or 6 pieces. Sear until lightly browned on both sides. Set aside.
• Sauce making:
  • Add garlic and ginger and stir until fragrant;
  • add star anise and chili;
  • add sugar and wait until it is melted and bubbling
  • add rice wine and bring to boil stirring until sugar disolves
  • add five space, dark and light soy sauce, and water. bring to boil
• Return the pork belly and simmer on low for 1-2h

For 1lb of pork belly, a good set of ratios to start with might be:

• • 2 medium cloves garlic, crushed
  • 2 (1/8th-inch) slices fresh ginger (unpeeled)
  • 1 star anise pod (optional)
  • 1 small fresh red chili, such as Thai chili (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons rock, brown or raw sugar
  • 1/4 cup Asian rice wine
  • 1/2 teaspoon five spice powder (see note)
  • 1/4 cup dark soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup light soy sauce
  • 4 cups water

Notes

Inspiration and adaptation:

• Gua Bao recipe on Serious Eats
• Kitchen Sanctuary recipe for everything
• BBC recipe for steamed bao
• [Eat Little Bird]