Traditional Chinese roujiamo featuring braised pork belly stuffed into flatbreads. The pork is slowly simmered with aromatic spices until tender, then mixed with spring onion greens and tucked into warm baked buns.
Chop the pork belly into 8 large chunks and place in a large saucepan with half of the sliced ginger. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for 15 minutes, skimming off any scum that rises to the surface. Drain the pork and rinse under cold water, then wash out the saucepan and return it to the stove.
2
Chop the spring onion whites into chunks and finely slice the greens, keeping them separate. Heat the oil over medium-high heat, add the rock sugar and stir until melted. Let the sugar caramelize to a golden colour, then return the pork to the pan. Toss the pork to coat all sides in the caramel. Add the remaining ginger, sichuan peppercorns, star anise, cinnamon stick, bay leaves and spring onion whites. Pour in the shaoxing wine and both soy sauces, then add just enough water to cover the pork. Cover with a lid and simmer gently for 3 hours until the pork is very tender. Transfer the cooked pork to a wire rack set over a tray and let it cool until it can be handled.
3
Place the yeast and warm water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on low speed for 1 minute to combine. Add the flour, baking powder, bicarb soda, salt and oil, and continue mixing until a shaggy dough forms. Increase to medium-low speed and knead for about 6 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Shape into a ball, cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
4
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan-forced. Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and lightly knead to smooth. Divide into 8 equal pieces. Shape each into a round, then roll out to a thin, long rectangle. Starting from one end, roll up tightly into a log with the tail folded underneath. Stand upright and press down with your palm to flatten into a round disc again. Repeat with all pieces. Heat a lightly oiled heavy-based frying pan over medium heat. Cook the dough discs in batches, covered, for 2 minutes until the first side browns. Uncover, flip and cook for another 2 minutes. Transfer to an oven tray and repeat with the remaining discs. Place the tray in the oven for 4 minutes.
5
Finely chop the cooked pork and mix with the sliced spring onion greens. Slice open the buns almost all the way through to form a pocket. Divide the filling evenly among the buns and spoon inside. Serve while still warm.
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