Bao Buns with Sticky Ginger Pork

Method

Instructions: Preparing the pork:

Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan or skillet over medium heat.
Add the chopped onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the minced garlic and chopped Opies Stem Ginger, and cook for another 2 minutes.
Add the pork belly cubes to the pan and cook until browned on all sides.
In a bowl, mix together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, sesame oil, Chinese five-spice powder, salt, and pepper.
Pour the sauce mixture over the pork in the pan and stir to coat the meat.
Add the chicken or vegetable stock to the pan, ensuring the pork is submerged.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer, covered, for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until the pork is tender and the sauce has thickened. Stir occasionally.
Once cooked, remove the pork from the pan and shred it using two forks. Set aside.

Preparing the bao buns:

In a large mixing bowl, combine the plain flour, instant yeast, sugar, vegetable oil, and warm water. Mix until a dough forms.
Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 5-10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rest in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Punch down the risen dough and knead it for another 2-3 minutes.
Divide the dough into 8 equal portions and shape each portion into a smooth ball.
Roll out each ball of dough into an oval shape, about 1/4 inch thick.
Brush the surface of each oval with vegetable oil, then fold it in half.
Place each folded dough piece onto a small piece of parchment paper and let them rest for another 15-20 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Once the buns have rested, place them in a steamer basket, leaving some space between each bun to allow for expansion.
Steam the buns over boiling water for 10-12 minutes, or until puffed up and cooked through.
Remove the steamed buns from the steamer and let them cool slightly before serving.

Assembling the bao buns:

To assemble, gently open each steamed bun and fill it with some of the shredded sticky ginger pork.
Serve the bao buns warm and enjoy!