Gua Bao (Pork Belly Bao Buns)

Ingredients:

Pork Belly:

• 2 pounds rindless pork belly cut into 1 x 3 inch slices that are 1/4-inch thick

• 4 1/4 cups chicken stock

• 1 tablespoon ginger minced

• 3 garlic cloves cut in half

• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

• 1 tablespoon compliant sugar

• 10 whole wheat bao buns

Glaze:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 pinch salt

• 1 pinch black pepper

• 1 tablespoon ginger minced

• 1 red chili minced

• 2 tablespoons honey

• 2 tablespoons compliant brown sugar

• 3 tablespoons coconut aminos or dark soy sauce

• 1 teaspoon lemon grass paste

Toppings:

• 1 bunch cilantro roughly torn

• 2 red chilies thinly sliced into strips

• 2 scallions thinly sliced into strips

• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

• 2 tablespoons toasted nuts chopped

Utensils:

• knife

• cutting board

• large skillet with lid

• small mixing bowl

• whisk

• tongs

• mixing spatula

Instructions:

1. prepare ingredients

2. get a large skillet and add 4 1/4 cups of chicken stock

3. add 1 tbsp of minced ginger to the pan

4. add 3 halved garlic cloves to the pan

5. add 1 tbsp of rice wine vinegar to the pan

6. add 1 tbsp of sugar to the pan and stir together

7. add 2 lbs of sliced pork belly to the pan and place on the stove over high heat and bring to a boil

8. once boiling, cover with the lid and turn the heat down to low and simmer for 2 hour

9. drain the pork and discard the liquid

10. cut the pork into bite sized pieces

11. return the clean skillet to the stove over high heat and add 1 tbsp of olive oil and allow it to heat through

12. get a small mixing bowl and add 1 tbsp of minced ginger

13. add 1 minced red chili to the bowl

14. add 2 tbsp of honey to the bowl

15. add 2 tbsp of brown sugar to the bowl

16. add 3 tbsp of coconut aminos to the bowl

17. add 1 tsp of lemon grass paste to the bowl and stir together and set aside

18. add the chopped pork to the pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and fry until the pork starts to turn golden brown and crispy

19. pour the glaze all over the pork and toss together and continue to cook for 6-7 minutes until the pork looks dark and sticky then remove from heat

To assemble, open a bao bun and stuff it with the sticky pork belly, cilantro, some slices of red chilies and spring onions, and sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped nuts.