Pork Bao Buns

What better excuse to indulge in some delicious Chinese food than the beginning of the new lunar Year 2017, which in Chinese culture is the Year of the Rooster. Bao buns have been a big food trend for a few years now, and thanks to the chefs at Rattan Direct you can make your own sweet and sticky, slow cooked, pork dumpling! Who can say no to soft fluffy dumplings, with a fresh crunch of pickle and vegetables? Not us!

Ingredients

FOR THE PORK

• 1 lb pork belly
• 1/2 tsp Chinese five spice
• Pinch of fennel
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 inches ginger
• 1/2 cup vinegar

FOR THE DUMPLINGS

• 2 cups plain flour
• 1 sachet easy bake yeast
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tsp oil
• 1/2 cup water

FOR THE GARNISH

• Beansprouts
• Shredded carrot
• Pickled red cabbage
• Shredded cucumber

Instructions

1. Put the pork on a baking tray with the rest of the pork ingredients, cover with foil, and cook for about 2 hours at 160C.
2. To make the dumplings, mix the dry ingredients in a bowl and stir in the wet to form a sticky dough. If it is too wet, add more flour. Too dry, add a little more water.
3. Knead well on a floured surface until smooth and elastic.
4. Leave the dough to rise until double in size.
5. Divide the risen dough into 10 portions and roll into buns. Flatten each bun with a rolling pin and press into an oval shape. Lightly grease and fold over a chopstick or skewer. Set aside to rise again.
6. Remove any rind from the cooked pork and chop the remaining meat into small pieces. Keep the cooking juices and put in a small saucepan.
7. Place a bamboo steamer over a frying pan with a few inches of water in the base. Steam the buns on a circle of greaseproof paper for about 10 minutes or until fluffed up and cooked all the way through.
8. Finally, heat the pan juices until slightly reduced and stir through the pork.
   Split the warm buns to serve, with a little pork and some of the garnishes.

Originally published at www.foodchannel.com.