Destination
Taipei
The story
Gua bao — literally "cut bun" in Taiwanese — is Taiwan's most-exported street snack: a pillowy, folded, steamed wheat-flour bun (shaped like a folded taco) stuffed with a slab of slow-braised pork belly (from the same soy-braised tradition as lu rou fan), a heavy scatter of crushed peanut powder, a spoon of pickled mustard greens (suan cai), and a fresh coriander leaf. The classical Taiwanese street version is served open (like a folded pocket), eaten in two or three bites, with the pork's braising liquid dripping onto the peanut powder to form a sticky-savoury coating. Sold at every Taipei night market and every Taiwanese street food counter — Lan Jia Guabao and Yongkang Guabao are two legendary Taipei addresses. The dish became a modern global sensation when Momofuku's David Chang popularised it in New York in the late 2000s.
Method
Warm oil in a heavy pot. Sear the pork belly slabs 3 minutes per side until deeply browned. Add all remaining braising ingredients. Bring to a simmer, cover partially, cook 90 minutes to 2 hours over the lowest heat until the pork is completely tender.
Lift the pork out onto a chopping board. Slice each slab against the grain into 1cm thick pieces. Return to the braising liquid to keep warm. Reduce the braising liquid by half in a separate pan if you want a thicker glaze.
If making from scratch: whisk warm milk, warm water and 1 tbsp sugar. Sprinkle yeast; rest 5 minutes. Add flour, cornstarch, remaining sugar, salt and oil. Knead 10 minutes until smooth. Rest 60 minutes until doubled.
Divide dough into 12 balls. Roll each into a 12cm oval. Brush lightly with oil on one half. Fold the un-oiled half over the oiled half (so they separate cleanly after steaming) to form a folded taco-like shape. Rest 30 minutes on baking paper squares.
Steam bao in bamboo baskets over simmering water for 12 minutes. Rest with the lid on for 5 minutes before opening. If using pre-made frozen bao, steam 8 to 10 minutes.
Pulse the peanuts, sugar and salt in a food processor into a coarse-medium powder (not a paste — you want visible texture).
Rinse the pickled mustard greens under cold water. Chop small. Warm oil in a pan; cook garlic 30 seconds. Add suan cai and toss 3 minutes. Off the heat, drizzle with sesame oil.
Open each warm bao gently. Slot in 1 or 2 slices of pork belly. Spoon a bit of the braising liquid over. Top with 1 heaped tbsp peanut powder, a spoon of suan cai, 3 or 4 coriander leaves and a slice of chili. Serve immediately, 2 bao per person.
Tips
- Skin-on pork belly. The gelatinous skin is what gives braised gua bao pork its silky texture. Skinless belly gives you a thinner, less-classical version.
- Slow braise. Ninety minutes minimum. Rushed pork is chewy. Better on day two — braise a day ahead and reheat, and the flavour deepens.
- Coarse peanut powder, not paste. Pulse only briefly. Peanut butter is not a substitute — the texture of coarse crushed nuts is the whole point.
- Frozen bao work. Any Asian grocer sells frozen gua bao that steam in 10 minutes. If making bao from scratch feels like a project, use these — the pork is the star anyway.
- Serve immediately. Bao soften from the moist filling within 10 minutes. Assemble at the last moment and eat right away.
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