Kitchen Recipe Collection
Roujiamo (Chinese Hamburger)
Considered one of the world's oldest sandwiches. A crispy, pan-baked flatbread stuffed to the brim with incredibly tender, deeply spiced, slow-braised pulled pork belly.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 120 min
- Total
- 150 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- medium
- Cuisine
- Chinese
Ingredients
Scaled for 4 servings
- Braised Pork: 500g pork belly, 2 star anise, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 bay leaves, 2 tsp cumin, 3 cloves, 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, 1 tbsp rock sugar
- Bread (Mo): 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp yeast, 1/4 tsp baking soda, 1/2 cup warm water
- Garnish: Fresh cilantro, chopped green chilies or jalapeños
Equipment
- Dutch oven
- Cast-iron pan
- Heavy cleaver
Instructions
- 1
Braise the Pork
Blanch the pork belly. Place it in a pot with water to cover, add all the spices, soy sauces, and sugar. Simmer covered for 2 hours until the meat is falling apart.
- 2
Make Dough
Dissolve yeast in warm water. Mix with flour and baking soda to form a stiff dough. Knead until smooth. Rest for 30 minutes.
- 3
Shape the Mo
Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Roll each into a long cigar, flatten it with a rolling pin, then roll it up like a cinnamon roll.
- 4
Flatten the Mo
Stand the rolled cylinder on its end and press it down with your palm. Roll it into a flat, round bun about 1/2 inch thick.
- 5
Pan-bake the Bread
Heat a DRY cast-iron pan over medium heat (no oil). Place the buns in the pan.
- 6
Toast
Cook for 3-5 minutes per side until the bread puffs up slightly and has a beautiful, crispy, brown toasted pattern on the outside but is soft inside.
- 7
Chop the Meat
Remove the ultra-tender braised pork from the liquid.
- 8
Mince
Place the meat on a cutting board with a handful of fresh cilantro and green chilies. Use a cleaver to chop everything together aggressively into a coarse mince.
- 9
Moisten
Spoon 2 tablespoons of the rich, spiced braising liquid over the chopped meat to keep it incredibly juicy.
- 10
Slice Bread
Slice the hot, crispy 'Mo' bread horizontally, leaving it attached at the back like a clam shell.
- 11
Stuff
Stuff a massive amount of the chopped pork mixture into the bread.
- 12
Serve
Serve immediately. The contrast between the crispy, dry bread and the dripping, fatty, spiced meat is incredible.
Cooking Tips
- The braising liquid (Lu Zhi) in famous Xi'an restaurants is kept boiling for decades, with new meat and water added daily to create an infinitely complex flavor.
- The bread must be pan-baked without oil so it is dry and crispy, ready to absorb the pork fat without getting soggy.
Variations
- Muslim Style (Niu Rou Mo): In the Muslim quarter of Xi'an, this is made with spiced braised beef or lamb instead of pork.
Nutrition Estimate
450 calories · 18g protein · 45g carbs · 22g fat · 2g fiber per serving
