Kitchen Recipe Collection
Gua Bao (Taiwanese Pork Belly Buns)
Fluffy, pillowy steamed lotus leaf buns stuffed with melt-in-your-mouth red braised pork belly, pickled mustard greens, cilantro, and crushed peanuts.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 90 min
- Total
- 120 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- hard
- Cuisine
- Chinese
Ingredients
Scaled for 4 servings
- 8 frozen or fresh steamed lotus leaf buns (Gua Bao)
- 500g pork belly block
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup Shaoxing wine
- 2 tbsp rock sugar
- 1 spice packet (star anise, cinnamon, ginger, scallions)
- 1 cup Suan Cai (pickled mustard greens), rinsed and chopped
- 1 tbsp sugar (for the greens)
- 1/2 cup roasted peanuts, crushed
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar (to mix with peanuts)
- Fresh cilantro
Equipment
- Bamboo steamer
- Pot for braising
Instructions
- 1
Slice Pork
Cut the pork belly into thick, 1/2-inch slabs.
- 2
Sear Pork
In a pan, lightly sear the pork belly slabs on both sides until slightly browned.
- 3
Braise Pork
Transfer pork to a pot. Add soy sauce, wine, rock sugar, and spices. Cover with water.
- 4
Simmer
Bring to a boil, reduce to low, cover, and simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours until the fat is incredibly soft and jiggly.
- 5
Prepare Peanut Dust
Crush the roasted peanuts and mix them with the granulated sugar.
- 6
Prepare Pickles
Thoroughly rinse the Suan Cai to remove excess salt, then squeeze dry and chop finely.
- 7
Sauté Pickles
In a dry pan, sauté the chopped Suan Cai with 1 tbsp of sugar and a drizzle of oil for 3 minutes to balance its tartness.
- 8
Reduce Braising Liquid
Once the pork is tender, remove the lid and turn up the heat to reduce the sauce until it coats the meat thickly.
- 9
Steam Buns
Place the folded Gua Bao buns in a bamboo steamer lined with parchment paper. Steam for 8-10 minutes until fluffy and hot.
- 10
Open the Bun
Gently open a hot steamed bun.
- 11
Assemble
Layer a tablespoon of the sautéed mustard greens inside the bun. Top with a thick, glossy slab of pork belly.
- 12
Garnish
Generously sprinkle the sweet peanut dust and fresh cilantro leaves over the pork. Serve immediately while hot.
Cooking Tips
- The contrast of textures is key: the pillowy bun, the fatty melt-in-your-mouth pork, the crunchy peanuts, and the acidic crunch of the pickles.
- Do not slice the pork belly too thin before braising, or it will fall apart into shreds.
Variations
- Fried Chicken Bao: A modern twist replacing the braised pork with a crispy fried chicken thigh and spicy mayo.
Nutrition Estimate
510 calories · 15g protein · 45g carbs · 30g fat · 2g fiber per serving
