I threw together this recipe for char siu pork belly having listened to Nigella Lawson's audiobook of How To Eat (which you need to listen to if you haven't). Rather than make closed steamed buns I thought it would be great to make some folded bao buns and some pickled veg. If you want to make you own buns and pickled veg you can find the recipes for them here:
Serves 2 (or 1 if you eat like me)
Hands-on Time 15 minutes
Cooking Time 45 minutes
Ingredients
2 1/2 tbsp Tomato ketchup
2 tbsp Hoisin sauce
2 tbsp Soy sauce
2 tbsp Honey (runny)
2 tbsp Soft dark brown sugar
1 1/2 tbsp Mirin rice wine
1/2 tsp Sesame oil
1/2 tsp Chinese five spice
2 Garlic cloves
Root ginger, half thumb sized amount
500g Pork belly strips, each approx 1cm wide.
Equipment
Mixing bowl
Micrograter
Spoon
Ovenproof dish
Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C(Fan)/350°F/Gas mark 4.
Add every ingredient up to and including the Chinese five spice to the mixing bowl.
Peel the garlic and ginger (try using the back of a spoon for the ginger) and grate them over the mixing bowl. Combine using a spoon.
Pour one quarter of the sauce into the ovenproof dish. Add the pork belly strips and spoon another quarter of the sauce over them.
Pop the dish into the oven on a middle shelf for 15 minutes. When the time is up baste the belly with the sauce in the dish. Cook for another 15 minutes. This time baste them with a quarter of the sauce you set aside. Cook for a further 15 minutes.
When you remove the pork from the oven it should be beautifully caramelised and the fat will be soft yet still hold its shape.
Carefully remove the strips. I would recommend halving them and set aside the remaining sauce for drizzling.
Enjoy!
