Red Braised Pork Belly Bao by Cuppabeans

Ingredients

• 500g (1.1 lb) pork belly
• 6 tbsp light soy sauce
• 4 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 4 tbsp shaoxing wine
• 30g rock sugar
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 2 whole star anise
• 20g ginger, sliced
• 200g all-purpose flour
• 130g milk
• 13g sugar
• 3g instant yeast
• 2g baking powder
• 1g salt
• 1 unit carrot, julienned
• 1 unit daikon radish, julienned
• 3 tbsp spicy mayonnaise

Instructions

1. Braise pork belly in water with soy sauces, wine, sugar, and spices for 2 hours until tender.
2. Cool the pork belly, then slice into pieces and fry in a pan, adding some braising liquid and reducing until a thick glaze forms.
3. Combine flour, milk, sugar, yeast, baking powder, and salt; knead until smooth and rest for 20 minutes.
4. Divide dough into 6 balls, roll each into a circle, brush with oil, fold in half, and proof for 30-60 minutes until puffy.
5. Steam the bao for 10 minutes.
6. Salt julienned carrot and daikon for 1 hour, rinse, and pickle in a mixture of hot water, vinegar, and sugar for 24 hours.
7. Assemble by spreading spicy mayonnaise inside the bao, then adding the glazed pork belly and pickled vegetables.