Wonderbao's roast pork belly bao

Bao dough

10g instant dry yeast

50ml lukewarm water

200g sugar

1kg wheat flour

10g salt

500ml water

20g vegetable shortening

vegetable oil

1. Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water and add a pinch of sugar. Leave aside and let it foam up. Combine the flour and salt. In a mixing bowl, combine thesugar, 400 millilitres of water and vegetable shortening. Mix and dissolve the sugar then add the yeast. Pour in the flour mixture. Knead or mix using a mixer until the dough is formed. Add the remaining water or more if necessary. The dough should feel soft to touch, but not too sticky.

2. Cover the dough using a damp cloth and let it rest for 1-1 ½ hrs. Roll out the dough, then cut and divide into roughly 30 gram segments. Using a rolling pin, roll each one into an oval shape and gently brush the surface with oil to avoid the dough sticking together after it is steamed. Fold the dough in half to form the shape of a gua bao. Place each gua bao on its own piece of greaseproof paper. Place it into a steamer and let it rest for one hour or so, covering the steamer with a warm damp cloth. When the dough looks fluffy and slightly doubled in size, it is ready for steaming. Bring the steamer to boil and steam for 12 to 15 minutes.

Notes: You may substitute vegetable shortening with vegetable oil. Use high protein plain flour for better results. Water amount may vary depending on the flour.

Roast pork belly bao

Ingredients

Pork belly
1.2kg pork belly, skin removed
1⁄2 cup salt
1⁄2 cup sugar
vegetable oil

Pickle
3 large carrots
1 small daikon
1tbspsalt
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 cup white wine vinegar
1 cucumber

Hoisin sauce
1 cup hoisin sauce
1⁄2 cup water
pinch of salt

Method

1. For the pork belly, combine the salt and sugar and mix well. Rub mixture generously into both sides of the pork belly and marinate for at least two hours. Place skin side up in a roasting tray and brush vegetable oil all over pork. Roast at 180C for two to three hours; be sure to baste the meat every half-hour with pan juices. Allow pork to cool, slice into 1cm x 4cm pieces.

2. For the pickle, peel and coarsely grate the carrots and daikon. Add the salt and water to the vegetables, leave vegetables in salt solution for a few minutes, then drain. In a bowl, dissolve the sugar in the vinegar. Add pickle liquid to the carrots and daikon, and refrigerate overnight. Cut the cucumber longways down the middle and scrape out the seeds. Cut into batons, about 4cm x 1⁄2cm.

3. In a saucepan, add the hoisin, water and salt, stir and bring to the boil, then simmer for a minute or two. Refrigerate and allow to cool overnight.

4. Just before serving reheat pork belly at 180C for a few minutes until warm.

5. To serve, open the freshly steamed bao at the centre like a taco shell. Place warm roast pork belly into bao. Add desired amount of hoisin sauce over the pork. Gently place as much, or as little, pickled carrots and daikon as you like. Garnish with one or two batons of cucumber, and then complete bao with an extra drizzle of hoisin sauce.

Serves 20-25