Call it Gua Bao. Call it the Taiwanese Hamburger. If you like being literal call it pork belly buns. Hell, if you like being wrong, you can call it bao buns. Whatever the name is, this popular street food in Taiwan should be the top of your 'must-eat' list.
Taiwanese Pork Belly Buns (Photo by Cathy Erway)
For most English-speakers, and including me one week ago, often call it the "Taiwanese Hamburger." But to Taiwanese people, they know it as the popular street food of Gua Bao or ho-ka-ti (‘tiger bites pig’ in the local dialect). Gua bao is a hearty snack of dark brown pork belly meat inside a folded over snow-white steamed bun. But hey, don't take it from me, take it from Gua bao extraordinaire, and unfortunately, also my classmate:
Gua bao's are a godsend of Taiwanese cuisine. It was a lifesaver when I was stuck in the hospital and couldn't move. – Eddie Yuan
Gua Bao (Taiwanese Hamburger)
YIELD:
Serves 3-4 people
ACTIVE COOKING TIME:
1 hour and 30 minutes
TOTAL TIME:
2 and 30 minutes
Section 1: Ingredients
Shao Rou (Red Braised Pork Belly):
2 tbsp. vegetable or peanut oil
1 lb. (500g) slab, skin-on pork belly, cut into 2-inch strips, then sliced ¼-inch thick
2 medium cloves garlic, crushed
2 (⅛-inch) slices fresh ginger (unpeeled)
Optional: 1 star anise pod
Optional: 1 small fresh red chilli, such as Thai bird's eye chilli
2 tbsp. rock, brown or raw sugar
¼ cup Shaoxing wine (Asian rice wine)
½ tsp. five-spice powder (see note)
¼ cup dark soy sauce
¼ cup light soy sauce
4 cups water
Bao Dough and Toppings
4 cups (600g) all-purpose flour
2 tsp. (7g) active dry yeast
2 tsp. (6g) baking powder
½ tsp. (3g) salt
3 tbsp. (40g) granulated white sugar
1 ½ cups (360ml) tepid whole milk, heated to 95°F (35°C)
½ cup roasted, unsalted peanuts
1 tbsp. rock, brown, or raw sugar
6 sprigs fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems chopped
4 tbsp. coarsely chopped Haam Choy (Asian pickled mustard greens)
Section 2: Directions
Shao Rou (Red Braised Pork Belly)
1. |
Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet or wok. Cook pork belly until lightly browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Flip pork belly and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer pork belly to a plate and set aside.
2. |
In the same skillet, add garlic and ginger and cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until fragrant. Add star anise and chilli (if using), and sugar and cook, stirring, until the sugar is melted and bubbling, about 2 minutes. Add rice wine and bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Add five-spice powder, dark and light soy sauces, and water and bring to a boil.
3. |
Return pork belly to the skillet and reduce heat to low. Cover skillet and cook until pork belly is very tender, at least 1 hour or preferably, 2 hours.
4. |
Set aside in a warm oven until ready to use.
Baos and Toppings
1. |
Bloom active dry yeast by adding it to tepid milk heated to 95°F (35°C). Add a pinch of sugar to it and lightly stir. Set it aside and let sit for 10 minutes or until it turns foamy. (This part is optional if you're using instant yeast. But, it's useful to check if your yeast is still alive).
2. |
Meanwhile, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
3. |
Pour the yeast mixture to the dry ingredients mixture. Mix until a rough dough forms. Knead for 3-5 minutes.
4. |
To test gluten development, cut off a golf ball sized piece of the dough and using your thumb and first two fingers, gently stretch the dough into a thin translucent membrane until light passes through it. If the dough can stretch without tearing, that means the gluten is well-developed. But, if it tears before you've fully extended your fingers, the gluten isn't ready yet and needs to be kneaded for another two minutes until stretching it again.
5. |
Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 10 minutes. Remove from the plastic wrap and knead for another 1 minute or so. Gently roll into a ball and place in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise for 1 hour at room temperature.
6. |
Cut 20 pieces of parchment paper in the shape of a square.
7. |
Once the dough has risen, punch out all the air and cut it into 15-20 pieces (50-70g). Form into light balls and cover with a damp towel.
8. |
Shape on a lightly floured work surface by rolling out into 2 ¼-inch x 4 ½-inch and ¼-inch thick pieces.
9. |
Brush one side lightly with oil and fold over taco-style and place on a piece of parchment. Repeat with the rest of the dough pieces.
10. |
Place on a baking sheet and cover with a greased plastic wrap. Proof for 15 minutes at room temperature.
11. |
To steam: Set a steam basket over a pot of gently simmering water and transfer the baos on the parchment paper into the steamer device of your choice (I used a bamboo steamer basket).
12. |
Cover and let steam for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, turn off the heat but leave the lid on and let sit in the steamer for 4 more minutes. Do not remove during the cooking process.
13. |
Place on a baking sheet or plate covered with plastic wrap to prevent drying.
14. |
For the toppings: Combine peanuts and sugar in a blender or food processor and pulse, stopping to scrape down the sides, until the mixture resembles a coarse powder, about 1 minute.
15. |
To Serve: 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 chopped cilantro and a sprinkle of peanut powder. Serve immediately.
Note: For the baos, if you're boring, or, in my case, boring and lacking in time, you could buy pre-made baos at the Asian grocery store in the refrigerated or frozen sections and follow package cooking instructions.
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