Braised Pork Buns (Kung Bak Pao)

Method23 steps · about 1 hr 30 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Remove any remaining skin hairs without washing the raw pork. Complete steps 2–7 and have all spices and sauces ready before starting the pork boiling, so browning and braising can follow promptly in the same cooking session.

   Uses 1 kg skin-on boneless pork belly

2. 2

   Step 2: Have six fully hard-boiled, peeled eggs ready. Keep them refrigerated while the pork cooks; they will be added to the finished braising sauce later.

   Uses 6 ready hard-boiled eggs, peeled

3. 3

   Step 3: Peel and wash the half thumb-sized ginger piece, then cut it into 4–5 slices.

   Uses ½ thumb-sized ginger piece · Water, as needed to wash the ginger

4. 4

   Step 4: Rinse and drain the two pieces of firm tofu, then cut them into six pieces in total. Keep ready for the later sauce simmer.

   Uses 2 pieces firm tofu · Water, as needed to rinse tofu

5. 5

   Step 5: Wash the lettuce leaves, drain and pat dry. Keep them in a covered container in the refrigerator for serving.

   Uses 1 small crisp lettuce · Water, as needed to wash lettuce

6. 6

   Step 6: Wash and drain the parsley (1 sprig), cut it into about 1 cm lengths and keep it ready for serving.

   Uses 1 sprig parsley · Water, as needed to wash parsley

7. 7

   Step 7: Rinse and drain the eight skin-on garlic cloves, then smash them lightly.

   Uses 8 garlic cloves, skin on · Water, as needed to rinse garlic

8. 8

   Step 8: Put the pork slab into a suitable pot with enough initial boiling water. Bring to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes to release scum. Lift it out and discard this water. Continue promptly through drying, browning and braising in the same session; this initial boiling does not establish fully cooked pork.

   Initial pork boiling · 10 minUses All the pork from step 1 · Initial pork boiling water, enough for the slab

9. 9

   Step 9: Blot the pork dry with clean paper towels and cut it into two roughly square pieces. Keep the skin thoroughly dry for browning and continue promptly.

   Uses The pork lifted from step 8, with initial cooking water discarded

10. 10

    Step 10: Glaze a clean, dry wok with a little of the skin-browning oil and heat over medium-high heat.

    Uses A little skin-browning oil, enough to glaze the wok

11. 11

    Step 11: Place both pork pieces skin-side down in the hot wok. Press gently with the back of a spatula for even contact and brown the skin, adjusting heat to prevent burning.

    Uses The heated oil in the wok from step 10 · Both pork pieces from step 9

12. 12

    Step 12: Lift the pork onto a clean holding plate once the skin is nicely browned. Leave the wok juices behind for the aromatic frying and continue cooking promptly.

    Uses The browned pork and oil from step 11

13. 13

    Step 13: Add the separate 2 tbsp oil to the wok juices, followed by the prepared ginger, garlic, six whole cloves, star anise (1), half cinnamon stick and dash of pepper. Fry until aromatic.

    Uses The juices left in the wok in step 12, with pork held separately · 2 tbsp separate aromatic-frying oil · The washed ginger slices from step 3 · The drained garlic from step 7 · 6 whole cloves · 1 star anise · ½ cinnamon stick · A dash of pepper

14. 14

    Step 14: Return the pork to the fragrant wok. Add the 5 tbsp dark soy sauce, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp salt and 15 g rock sugar. Fry briefly until the pork and seasonings are well mixed.

    Uses All the fragrant wok contents from step 13 · Both pork pieces held on the clean plate in step 12 · 5 tbsp dark soy sauce · 1 tbsp light soy sauce · 1 tsp salt · 15 g rock sugar

15. 15

    Step 15: Transfer all the pork, aromatics and seasonings to a large suitable pot, with the pork skin facing down.

    Uses All the pork, seasonings and wok juices from step 14

16. 16

    Step 16: Add water from the 1.5-litre allowance, using enough to cover the pork in the pot. Bring to a boil, then maintain a gentle simmer for about 1 hour. Turn the pieces occasionally and keep them from catching on the base, adding a little hot water only if needed to maintain the braise.

    Check the tender braised pork · 60 minUses All the pot contents from step 15 · Braising water from the 1.5-litre allowance, enough to cover the pork · Additional hot water, only as needed during the braise

17. 17

    Step 17: Check the pork with a clean skewer: it should pierce easily and the thickest centre must reach at least 63°C (145°F). Continue gently simmering as needed until fully cooked and tender.

    Uses All the pork and sauce from step 16

18. 18

    Step 18: Lift the fully cooked tender pork onto a deep serving dish and rest it for at least 3 minutes before slicing. Leave the sauce in the pot for the egg and tofu simmer. Remove the whole cloves, star anise and cinnamon as you find them.

    Rest the fully cooked pork · 3 minUses All the cooked pork and braising sauce from step 17

19. 19

    Step 19: Add the ready hard-boiled eggs and prepared tofu to the reserved sauce. Simmer for about 5–7 minutes, checking from 5 minutes, until hot through. Lift the eggs carefully, halve them and return them to the sauce. Keep the egg, tofu and sauce hot for serving.

    Check hot eggs and tofu · 5 minUses The sauce left in the pot in step 18, with pork resting separately · All six eggs prepared in step 2 · All six tofu pieces cut in step 4, with rinse water discarded

20. 20

    Step 20: If the two packages of buns are refrigerated, choose this route and skip step 21. Bring the external steamer water to a boil, put the buns above the water, wipe condensation from the lid and cover. Steam for 4–6 minutes from steady steam, checking from 4 minutes, until hot and soft. Keep the base from boiling dry, adding hot water below the bun rack only as needed.

    Check refrigerated leaf buns · 4 minUses 2 packages leaf buns — refrigerated route only · External steaming water, enough below refrigerated buns

21. 21

    Step 21: If the two packages of buns are frozen, choose this route instead of step 20. Put the frozen buns above already boiling external steamer water, wipe condensation from the lid and cover. Steam for 8–10 minutes from steady steam, checking from 8 minutes, until hot and soft. Keep the base from boiling dry, adding hot water below the bun rack only as needed.

    Check frozen leaf buns · 8 minUses 2 packages leaf buns — frozen route only · External steaming water, enough below frozen buns

22. 22

    Step 22: After the pork has rested, cut it into slices about 1 cm thick and drizzle with a little of the finished braising gravy.

    Uses The pork from step 18 after at least its 3-minute rest, with sauce finished separately · A little sauce from step 19 for drizzling, keeping the eggs, tofu and remaining sauce for serving

23. 23

    Step 23: Fill the hot buns from your chosen steaming route with sliced pork and crisp lettuce. Serve the remaining pork, hot gravy, eggs and tofu alongside, with parsley. Divide the complete meal between eight servings; the number of buns depends on the actual packages.

    Uses All the sliced pork and drizzled gravy from step 22 · The egg halves, tofu and remaining gravy from step 19, after the separate drizzle · The hot buns from step 20 only if the refrigerated route was chosen · The hot buns from step 21 only if the frozen route was chosen instead · The washed and dried lettuce from step 5, with wash water discarded · The washed chopped parsley from step 6, with wash water discarded