Pulled Braised Pork in Steamed Buns

Main or Snack:  Pork

My family first encountered this heavenly dish, kong bak pau, the first time we ate at +Westlake Eating House.  The restaurant is found in an HDB complex (stands for Housing Development Board, like government housing) with green plastic chairs (and chopsticks!) and floral plastic covered tables.  So nondescript but always crowded. Even if you wait for a long-ish time, the aunties & uncles always assure you that they haven't forgotten you.

Westlake Eating House's kong bak pau served with lettuce leaves.

Their Hokkien version uses pork belly slices. When we lived in Singapore, I used twee bak (pork shoulder with skin on). Less fatty and hopefully, more healthy.  Here in the US, I use either pork shoulder or full ham boneless (the back part), also lean but with a hint of that all important fat. You need the fat, even minimal, for flavour and to keep the meat moist during the long cooking time.  The Hokkien braised pork recipe has ginger, catsup, cloves, star anise and five spice powder.  My family is not too keen on said spices.  Am too lazy too to blanch first the pork then brown it before starting with the braising process. Instead, the tweaked recipe I am sharing is from +Nora V. Daza's book, "Let's Cook With Nora," pork asado recipe. In addition, am using a slow cooker.  You can use pressure cooker or even a regular saucepan.  You just have to be around to constantly check that the meat is really getting tender and that there is still enough braising liquid.

I used full ham boneless cut with a little fat & skin.

I decided to prepare this dish because the coriander my boys planted latter part of March is blooming.  Instead of lettuce leaves, we place instead cucumber sticks and coriander leaves. We find it more refreshing.

Coriander or cilantro leaves ready for picking.

Ingredients & Process (enough for 4 people with BIG appetites):

• grease lightly the bottom and sides of your crock pot or slow cooker to avoid sticking
• place at the bottom 3 pounds of either pork shoulder or full ham. They are sold in big pieces but I slice each big piece into 3 to hasten the cooking process. If you are going to use sauce pan or pressure cooker, I suggest that you also poke the chunks of pork. You don't want the meat to be cubed or too small because it is easier to shred the meat, when cooked, if they are in relatively big chunks.
• add the following:  10 cloves of smashed garlic, 1/2 cup soy sauce, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 heaping teaspoon of stock powder, a tablespoon (more or less) of sriracha hot sauce, and 3 tablespoons each:  hoisin & oyster sauce, Chinese cooking wine then enough water to barely cover the pork.
• I slow cooked it for 6 hours.  If using sauce pan or pressure cooker, boil then simmer.  It is done when you can easily shred the meat. 
• using a slotted spoon, gently place the super tender pork on your serving dish and transfer the cooking liquid to a small sauce pan.  Heat on high the cooking liquid to reduce and thicken. About 5 - 7 minutes.
  
   
• While it is boiling away uncovered, shred the cooked pork with spoon & fork.  This should be a very easy process because the meat is supposed to be super tender. I shred the fatty part and skin in smaller bits.  Pour over the meat the reduced liquid.
  
• Like any braised dish, it is best to age this pork dish. Just micro when ready to serve.
• I use a bamboo steamer to cook the mantou (Chinese steamed buns). You can also use your rice cooker, steam mode.  I tried microwaving the mantou, covered with a damp kitchen towel.  The buns do not come out as fluffy versus steaming. Mantou sold in the frozen goods part of your Asian grocery should be pre-sliced already.
• While your mantou are steaming away, prepare coriander leaves (no need for the stems) and your cucumber sticks.
  
• Pile in the steamed bun your shredded cooked pork, cucumber sticks and coriander leaves. Like burgers, eating this dish is pretty messy, with the sauce dripping down your hands. But who really cares?  Enjoy!!!

some kinda kong bak pau or pork asado bun

Note: When we were residing in Shanghai, I remember our Ayi (auntie) usually serving steamed mantou to my eldest, dipped in condensed milk.  好吃  haochi!!!  yummy!!!!!  Best snack ever!