“Baos, burgers and sliders have been setting food trends around the world for years now,” says TV chef Jeremy Pang.
“We tried a version of this slider in a new organic restaurant called Sohofama in Hong Kong, which seems to be leading the way in urban farming and healthier cooking styles, while still managing to maintain the best part of traditional Chinese cooking techniques to create delicious dishes like this.”
If you’re making your own bao, try either the hirata bun fold or burger bao fold, and steam them just before finishing off the meat.
Black pepper glazed short rib bao
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
4 beef short ribs, separated
½ a portion of bao dough, ready to make 8-10 steamed hirata bunsor burger baos
For the poaching liquid:
1 star anise
1 small cinnamon stick
2 cloves
2 bay leaves
1 tsp black peppercorns
½ tsp salt
1 litre water
For the glaze:
3 tbsp jarred Chinese black pepper sauce (available in Chinese supermarkets)
2 tbsp light soy sauce
4 tsp sugar
Method:
1. Place the short ribs in a large saucepan and add all the poaching liquid ingredients. Bring to the boil on a high heat, then lower to a gentle simmer. Poach the beef ribs on a low heat for 3 hours, until the meat starts to fall off the bone but still keeps its shape.
2. While the meat is cooking, make your bao buns if you haven’t made them beforehand.
3. Mix the glaze ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Once the ribs have been poached, remove them from the poaching liquid and carefully remove the bones, leaving the meat itself whole and intact as much as possible.
4. Cut each long piece of meat in half vertically, in order to make more reasonably sized portions that will fit well into the steamed buns. Put the pieces of meat into the bowl of glaze and gently coat the pieces of meat, using a spoon to baste on all surfaces and sides.
5. Just before you finish glazing the meat, start steaming your bao buns. Char each side of the meat under a hot grill (minimum 230C) on a lined baking tray or unlined rack, or finish directly on the barbecue.
6. Serve one piece of short rib to one steamed bun for ease of eating (with only moderate gluttony), along with some pickles or salad and condiments on the side.
Recipe from ‘Hong Kong Kitchen’ by Jeremy Pang (Hamlyn, £25).
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