Soft steamed bun filled with braised pork belly

In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, instant yeast, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Prepare the dough

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the warm water and vegetable oil. Mix until a dough forms.

Add wet ingredients

Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.

Knead the dough

Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Let the dough rise

Punch down the risen dough and divide it into 12 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball, then flatten slightly.

Shape the buns

Place each bun on a piece of parchment paper to prevent sticking during steaming.

Prepare for steaming

Prepare the pork belly

In a large pot, sear the pork belly pieces on medium-high heat until browned on all sides. Remove and set aside.

Sear the pork

In the same pot, combine soy sauce, brown sugar, rice wine, star anise, sliced ginger, crushed garlic, and water. Stir to combine.

Create braising liquid

Return the pork belly to the pot, add scallions, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for about 2 hours until the pork is tender.

Braise the pork

Once cooked, remove the pork belly from the pot and shred it with two forks. Return to the pot to soak in the juices.

Shred the pork

Bring a steamer pot with water to a boil. Place the buns in the steamer basket, cover, and steam for about 10 minutes until fluffy.

Steam the buns

Remove the buns from the steamer. Take a bun, fill it with the braised pork belly, and serve immediately.

pork bao

Recipe information

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