Taiwanese · Lunch & handhelds

Pork belly gua bao

Name: Pork belly gua bao
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 4 h 13 min
Yield: 8 gua bao
Cuisine: Taiwanese
Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour; 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided; 1 teaspoon instant yeast; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 3/4 cup warm whole milk; 1/3 cup warm water; 1 tablespoon neutral oil for the dough, plus more for brushing and sautéing; 1 1/2 pounds skin-on pork belly, cut into 8 thick slices; 3 cups water; 1/3 cup light soy sauce; 1/4 cup Shaoxing wine; 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce; 4 slices fresh ginger; 2 scallions, halved; 1 star anise pod; 1 cup pickled mustard greens, rinsed, squeezed dry, and chopped; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts; 1 packed cup cilantro sprigs

Fluffy folded steamed buns holding soy-braised pork belly, garlicky pickled mustard greens, cilantro, and sweet peanut powder.

About 4 hr 15 minTotal

About 2 hr 50 minActive

$$$Cost

AdvancedDifficulty

Makes 8 gua bao

Equipment

Use a hot sheet pan under an inverted oven-safe metal bowl for the covered phase.
Best value covered pot
Lodge Essential Enamel 6-Quart Dutch Oven · EC6D43
View at Amazon
Another workable path: Use a hot sheet pan under an inverted oven-safe metal bowl for the covered phase.
Paid links. As an Amazon Associate, Kwilt earns from qualifying purchases.
How we chose
Research-backed · reviewed Aug 2026
We matched capacity, lid fit, oven rating, heat retention, maneuverability, care, stable model identity, and usefulness outside bread baking. Kwilt has not baked with this pot.
Lodge Essential Enamel 6-Quart Dutch Oven · EC6D43: The six-quart capacity, heavy cast-iron body, and fitted lid create the enclosed high-heat environment used by these bread methods while remaining useful beyond baking. Trade-off: At more than thirteen pounds it is demanding to move when hot, and the enamel needs gentler utensils and hand washing.
Another workable path: Bake on a preheated heavy sheet pan under an inverted oven-safe metal bowl, keeping face and hands clear when removing the hot cover.
Sources
Lodge six-quart Essential Enamel specifications
Amazon exact product listing

Ingredients

1× recipe · Makes 8 gua bao

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
1 teaspoon instant yeast
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup warm whole milk
1/3 cup warm water
1 tablespoon neutral oil for the dough, plus more for brushing and sautéing
1 1/2 pounds skin-on pork belly, cut into 8 thick slices
3 cups water
1/3 cup light soy sauce
1/4 cup Shaoxing wine
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
4 slices fresh ginger
2 scallions, halved
1 star anise pod
1 cup pickled mustard greens, rinsed, squeezed dry, and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
1 packed cup cilantro sprigs

Instructions

Mix flour, half the sugar, yeast, baking powder, salt, milk, warm water, and the tablespoon oil. Knead until smooth, cover, and rise until nearly doubled, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, sear pork belly in a until lightly browned. Add measured water, soy sauces, Shaoxing wine, remaining sugar, ginger, scallions, and star anise; simmer gently until tender but slices remain intact, 75 to 90 minutes. Skim fat and reduce liquid to a glaze.
Divide dough into eight ovals. Brush lightly with oil, fold each over a parchment square, and rest 20 minutes. Steam in batches over medium heat for 10 minutes; turn off heat and wait 3 minutes before lifting the lid.
Cook squeezed mustard greens in 1 teaspoon oil with garlic for 3 minutes. Pulse peanuts to coarse powder; do not process into butter.
Open each hot bun and add one glazed pork slice, mustard greens, cilantro, and 1 tablespoon peanut powder. Serve immediately.

TaiwanTaiwanese street and household cooking

From the table

About this recipe

Taiwanese gua bao folds a steamed lotus-leaf bun around red-braised pork belly, suan cai mustard greens, cilantro, and sweetened peanut powder, balancing richness with salt, acid, herbs, and nuttiness.

Taiwanese gua bao is distinguished from rou jia mo by its fluffy folded steamed bread, intact pork-belly slice, suan cai, cilantro, and sweet peanut powder. Western “bao bun” variations often omit the last two defining toppings. This Kwilt version follows the reviewed household adaptation: Author the bun and preserve all four classic filling components, using a reduced defatted braise so richness stays balanced rather than greasy.

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