Bao buns became popular in Asian restaurants in Europe in the 2000s. They are essentially made like bread from flour, yeast, water, and sugar. However, instead of being baked, bao buns—or more accurately, gua bao—are steamed over hot water.

I first tried this recipe when I had friends over for dinner. My friends and I were so impressed by how delicious this dish was that they immediately asked me to post it on my website so they could make it themselves at home.

The smell and taste of the meat reminded us very much of Christmas thanks to the use of the five-spice powder. Combined with the glazed vegetables and the slight sweetness of the bao buns and gravy, it’s certainly also a delicious dish you will enjoy in the cold winter season.

If you can’t find ready-made five-spice powder in your supermarket’s spice aisle, you can easily make it yourself.

You will need:
6 whole anise stars
1½ tsp whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick (appr. 10cm long)
2 Tbsp fennel seeds
2 Tbsp whole Szechuan peppercorns

Break the cinnamon stick into smaller pieces. Toast all the spices in a dry pan over medium heat until you can clearly smell the aroma. Do not let it burn! Then let it cool. For the powder, use a coffee grinder or mortar and pestle and grind it into a powder.

You can find bao buns in your supermarket or Asian market under the names Gua Bao, Lotus Leaf Buns, Hirata Buns, and many more. In this recipe, I used frozen Hirata Buns. They’re about the size of your palm and ready in just a few minutes. Steam them as directed on the package. The one I bought said 3-4 minutes. I overcooked some, so they fell apart at the bottom.

A bamboo steamer isn’t absolutely necessary. I used a two-piece vegetable steamer, which worked perfectly.

For the meat, I used pork neck steaks about 3 cm thick with small bones. Alternatively, you can also use a large piece of boneless pork neck and cut it into thick slices yourself.

For the filling of the buns, I used the thick part of the Chinese cabbage. The soft top leaves can be used for spring rolls or as a salad. If you can’t find Chinese cabbage, you can also use white cabbage instead.

What you need:
For the marinade
1½ cups brown sugar
80gr honey
¼ cups Hoisin sauce
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp Five-Spices
1 Tbsp sesame oil

800-1000gr pork neck (best boneless but with small bones it is also fine)
2 Tbsp of honey

For the stuffing:
2 carrots
2 spring onions
Some Chinese cabbage leaves (the thick part)
Some shredded lettuce
Some sesame oil for frying
Salt

10 Gua Bao or Hirata buns

How to prepare
Combine all marinade ingredients. Place the meat in a bowl or ziplock bag and toss with the marinade. Let it marinate in the refrigerator for 24–48 hours.

Preheat the oven on 160°C.

Remove the meat from the marinade and place it in a baking dish, reserving the marinade.

Cook the meat in a convection oven for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour the marinade into a saucepan. Add 2 Tbsp of honey and bring to a boil. Simmer over medium heat for 2–4 minutes until syrupy. Set aside.

Reserve 3-4 Tbsp of the syrup.

Remove the pork from the oven and turn over. Brush with about ⅓ of the syrup. Return to the oven and roast for another 30 minutes. Then remove the pork from the oven, turn over, and brush again with ⅓ of the syrup. Roast for another 20 minutes. Remove again, turn over, and brush with the remaining syrup again, and roast for another 10 minutes. Remove the glazed pork neck steaks from the oven and let them rest for about 10 minutes before slicing the meat (removing the bones). Reserve the sauce from the roasting pan and skim any fat from the surface.

While the meat is cooking, peel the carrots and cut them into thin strips, approximately 5-10 cm long. Cut the spring onions into 5-10 cm long pieces and also into thin strips. Cut the thick part of the Chinese cabbage, or the white cabbage leaves, into thin strips as well.

In a pan heat some sesame oil.

Add all the vegetables and cook over medium heat until soft. Add the remaining syrup and glaze the vegetables. Add a little salt, if desired.

Bring water to a boil in a steamer and keep to simmer over medium heat. Cut small squares of parchment paper. Place the bao buns on top of a piece of parchment paper in the steamer. Steam according to the package instructions with the lid slightly ajar.

Combine all the ingredients:

Place some shredded lettuce, a few pieces of glazed pork neck, some caramelized vegetables on each bao bun, and drizzle with some of the remaining gravy.

Best enjoyed while still lukewarm.