Steamed Gua Bao with Glazed Pork Belly

Make the quick pickles

1. In a bowl, whisk rice vinegar, sugar, and salt until mostly dissolved.
2. Add cucumber and optional red onion. Toss and refrigerate while you cook. They get better the longer they sit, even 20 minutes helps.

Braise the pork belly

1. Cut: Slice pork belly into thick slabs or 2-inch chunks. Big enough to feel luxurious in the bun, small enough to glaze well.
2. Sear (optional but tasty): Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high. Add 1 tbsp oil and brown pork belly pieces for 2 to 3 minutes per side. This adds flavor but you can skip if you are in a hurry.
3. Braise: Add soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and star anise. Add water or broth until liquid comes about halfway up the pork. You are aiming for a shallow braise, not fully covered.
4. Simmer: Bring to a simmer, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours, flipping pieces once halfway, until very tender.
5. Glaze: Transfer pork to a plate. Bring braising liquid to a boil and reduce until glossy and slightly thick, 8 to 15 minutes. Return pork to the pot and toss to coat. Keep warm on low.

Make the bao dough (hand-mix)

1. Wake up the yeast: In a large bowl, stir warm milk and sugar. Sprinkle yeast over top. Let sit 5 to 8 minutes until foamy. If it does not foam, your milk was too hot or the yeast is old.
2. Dry mix: Add flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir with a wooden spoon or chopsticks until shaggy.
3. Hydrate: Drizzle in neutral oil. Add warm water a little at a time until the dough comes together. You want it soft and slightly tacky, not wet. Humidity and flour vary, so do not dump all the water in at once.
4. Knead: Turn onto a lightly floured counter and knead 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. If it sticks, dust lightly. If it feels dry, wet your hands and keep kneading.
5. First rise: Oil the bowl, add dough, cover, and let rise 60 to 90 minutes until doubled.

Shape the buns

1. Cut 8 parchment squares and set aside.
2. Turn dough out and divide into 8 equal pieces. Keep covered so they do not dry out.
3. Roll each piece into a ball, then roll into an oval about 1/4-inch thick.
4. Brush a very thin layer of oil over the top of the oval. Fold in half like a taco, trapping the oil inside so the bun opens easily after steaming.
5. Place each folded bun on a parchment square. Cover lightly and let rise 20 to 30 minutes while you set up the steamer.

Steam the bao

1. Set up: Bring a couple inches of water to a simmer in your steamer pot. Make sure the water does not touch the steamer basket. You want steady steam, not a raging boil.
2. Load: Place buns in the steamer with at least 1 inch of space between them. Most home steamers fit 3 to 4 buns per batch, so plan on 2 to 3 batches depending on size.
3. Steam: Cover and steam for 10 to 12 minutes. Do not open the lid mid-steam.
4. Rest: Turn off heat and let buns sit, covered, for 2 minutes to prevent collapse from a sudden temperature change.

Assemble the gua bao

1. Open a warm bun gently.
2. Add glazed pork belly (about 2 to 3 oz per bun), then a tangle of pickles, cilantro, and scallions.
3. Drizzle with hoisin-mayo or extra reduced pork glaze.
4. Finish with sesame seeds and serve immediately.

Make-ahead plan

1. Pork: Braise up to 2 days ahead. Reheat gently and reduce the sauce again to re-glaze.
2. Pickles: Make up to 5 days ahead.
3. Buns: Steam, cool, and freeze. Re-steam from frozen 3 to 5 minutes for fresh, fluffy results.