Don't Make Bao, Make Taiwanese Pepper Pork Buns Instead

ground pork

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground chicken

Ground turkey is leaner, while ground chicken is often less expensive.

all-purpose flour

🥗Healthier: whole wheat flour

💰Cheaper: bread flour

Whole wheat flour adds fiber, while bread flour can enhance texture.

sesame oil

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: vegetable oil

Olive oil is healthier, while vegetable oil is often cheaper.

Chinese five-spice powder

Five-spice powder is unique, but you can create a blend with cinnamon, star anise, and cloves.

Combine flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a bowl and whisk together.

Add water and knead the mixture for 5-10 minutes until smooth.

Cover the dough and let it rest for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Prepare a second dough by combining flour, softened butter, salt, and ground citron pepper until cohesive, then divide into eight equal balls.

For the filling, season minced pork with black pepper, Sichuan pepper, white pepper, Chinese five-spice, light and dark soy sauce, cooking wine, sesame oil, bread crumbs, sugar, salt, MSG, and minced ginger.

Cube pork neck steaks and mix with the seasoned pork mixture, then divide into eight equal portions.

Prepare a bowl of scallions and set aside.

Once the yeasted dough has risen, divide it into eight equal portions and shape into balls.

Roll out a yeasted dough ball, place a flattened butter dough ball in the center, and wrap the yeasted dough around it.

Flatten the combined dough and roll it into a cylindrical shape, then press it into a flat disc.

Wrap the filling in the dough, ensuring it is sealed well at the bottom.

Brush the buns with a diluted honey solution and dip them in a mixture of black and white sesame seeds.

Place the buns on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 20-25 minutes.

Prepare a sauce by mixing ketchup, soy sauce, sambal, honey, sesame oil, and minced garlic.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens