One of my favourite meals right here, in fact, it’s a family favourite because my kids go bananas for these. The only real cooking here is for the maple glaze which is so simple, and the steaming of the bao buns which are store-bought and cook from frozen in just 10 minutes. The rest of the prep involves cutting the pork and vegetables and you’re ready to assemble and feast. The maple glaze brings a smokey sweetness that compliments the salty pork so well, and it will just make you go back for another and another. When I serve these up for my party of five there are never any leftovers so I recommend you have extra buns on hand, just in case they disappear like they do at my place. These are so deliciously good that I promise you will love them!
SERVES 4
PREP 10 MIN
COOK 20 MIN
What you’ll need:
16 frozen bao buns
1 cup (250ml) maple syrup
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tbs lime juice
2 tsp sea salt
1 x Riverview Farm Roast Pork, thinly sliced
1 continental cucumber, thinly sliced
fresh coriander, to serve
4 spring onions, thinly sliced, to serve
2 tbs sesame seeds, toasted, to serve
What to do:
Line a large steamer with baking paper and poke some holes through the bottom to allow steam through. Working in batches, arrange frozen buns in steamer in a single layer. Place over a medium-low heat. Cover and steam for 10 minutes until fluffy and cooked. Keep warm while you cooked the remaining buns, separating with some baking paper so they don’t stick together.
Meanwhile, to make the glaze place the maple syrup in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5-6 minutes until reduced by a third, taking care as syrup will bubble up quite a lot. Remove from heat and whisk in lime juice, paprika and salt. Pour into a small jug and set aside at room temperature to cool and thicken.
To assemble, use your fingers to open up the bao buns like a bread roll, leaving one side attached. Divide cucumber between buns and top with sliced pork. Spoon over maple glaze and top with coriander, spring onion and sesame seeds. Arrange bao onto a large platter and serve.
Note: leftover maple glaze can be kept covered in the fridge for 2 weeks.
