We find just as much comfort in holding the soft warm casing of bao buns just as we do eating the delicious things. What's not to like? The dish marries salty, spicy, sweet and sour into three punchy bites. And this recipe courtesy of Benjamin Tan, head chef at Rumble at the Star, only builds on the experience.
There's the sticky caramel glaze and the crunch of the pork coated in its aromatic marinade. Tangy ribbons of cucumber slice through the dark flavours and the airy bun is there to sweeten the deal. The pockets are just a taste of what's on the menu at Rumble, a new restaurant with a focus on elevating Southeast Asian hawker-style dishes.
So if you're in the mood for BBQ Pork Belly Bao Buns, take this recipe from Rumble, just in time for dinner.
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 200g high-quality pork belly
- 1⁄4 cup plain flour
- 1L Canola oil, for deep frying
- 4 frozen steamed bao buns
- 4-6 spring of fresh coriander, to serve
- Toasted sesame seeds, to serve
- 2-3 thinly sliced radishes, to serve
- Thinly sliced green cabbage, to serve
- Handful of crushed cashew nuts, to serve
Pork Marinade
- 20g fermented bean curd (found at good quality Asian grocers)
- 80g fresh ginger, sliced finely
- 50g garlic cloves, chopped finely
- Pinch of five spice powder
- 100ml oyster sauce
- 50g white sugar
- 10ml fish sauce
- 10g corn flour
Pickled Cucumber
- 1 cucumber, peeled into thin strips
- 20g table salt
- 100g white sugar
- 150ml white vinegar
- 300ml water
- Salted Caramel Glaze
- 250ml soy sauce 5g white sugar 100ml saké 100ml honey
Method
- To make your pork marinade, combine all ingredients in a bowl. Add in your pork belly. Seal tightly with GLAD Wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- To make your pickled cucumber, mix all ingredients expect the cucumber in a pan over medium heat and bring to the boil slowly. Remove the mixture from heat and, once cooled, add in the cucumber slices. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- To make your salted caramel glaze, add all ingredients to a pot over low heat. Stir continuously until the combined and the mixture has caramelised to a light brown colour and has thickened. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- To cook your pork, dust some plain flour over the pork belly. Heat your oil in a large pot over high heat. Deep fry the pork until its golden brown, crispy and firm to the touch. Once cooked through, remove the pork belly and allow the meat to cool and rest for 5 mins.
- Once cooled, cut the pork into thin slices and set aside.
- In the meantime, prepare your bao buns in a steamer (according to the packet).
- To serve, layer two slices of pickled cucumber, cabbage and radish into your bao bun. Top with slices of pork then drizzle with salted caramel glaze. Garnish with sprigs of fresh coriander, and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds and crushed cashews.
Want a taste of BBQ Pork Bao Buns but don't want to cook? Try them in-person at Rumble instead.
For more recipe ideas, take this list of noodle recipes to add to your cooking repertoire.
