The traditional gua bao, or Taiwanese hamburger, is a soft steamed bun filled with melt-in-the-mouth pork belly braised in a silky caramel, perked up with pickled cabbage, peanuts, and cilantro.
Ingredients
- 800 g Pork belly
- 8 pieces Gua bao buns
- 200 g White cabbage
- 2 tbsp Rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp Granulated sugar
- 1 pinch Salt
- 4 tbsp Hoisin sauce
- 4 tbsp Light soy sauce
- 4 tbsp Dark soy sauce
- 4 tbsp Rice wine
- 3 tbsp Brown sugar
- 500 ml Water
- 20 g Fresh ginger
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 2 pieces Star anise
- 1 piece Cinnamon stick
- 50 g Unsalted roasted peanuts
- 2 bunches Scallions
- 1 bunch Fresh cilantro
Method
- Cut the pork belly into cubes. In a Dutch oven, dry-sear the meat over high heat until it renders its fat and is well browned on all sides. Set the meat aside.
- In the same Dutch oven, discard any excess fat if necessary, then sweat the sliced ginger, crushed garlic, star anise, and cinnamon stick until aromatic.
- Return the meat to the Dutch oven. Deglaze with the rice wine, then add the soy sauces and the brown sugar. Mix well to coat the meat.
- Cover with hot water, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, until the meat is melt-in-the-mouth tender and the sauce is syrupy.
- Meanwhile, prepare the pickled white cabbage following the quick method. Keep chilled.
- At the end of the pork's cooking time, remove the lid and increase the heat to reduce the juices until you get a thick, glossy glaze that coats the meat.
- Reheat the gua bao buns in a steamer until they are soft and puffed.
- Roughly chop the peanuts and finely slice the scallions and cilantro.
- Open the still-warm buns and spread hoisin sauce on the bottom.
- Arrange the meltingly soft pork, add the pickled cabbage, sprinkle with peanuts, and finish with the cilantro and scallions. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 661.5 kcal
- Protein
- 45.85 g
- Carbohydrate
- 37.26 g
- Fat
- 35.15 g
- Fibre
- 3.55 g
- Calcium
- 86.87 mg
- Iron
- 2.52 mg
- Magnesium
- 96.44 mg
