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This recipe's momofuku pork buns are salty and sweet and texturally interesting. They’re fun to eat, and they involve pork belly, a close cousin of bacon.
Yields: makes About 25 buns
Place the pork belly in a roasting pan that holds it snugly, fat side up. In a small bowl, combine ½ cup of the salt and ½ cup of the sugar and rub all over the pork. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours and no longer than 24.
Heat the oven to 450°F. Discard any liquid that has accumulated in the roasting pan. Roast the pork belly, basting with the rendered fat halfway through, for about 1 hour, until golden brown.
Reduce the oven temperature to 250°F and continue to roast for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the pork is tender. Transfer the pork to a plate, decant the fat and the meat juices from the pan, and reserve for the buns. Let the pork cool slightly.
When it’s cool enough to handle, wrap the pork in plastic wrap or foil and put it in the fridge until thoroughly chilled and firm. (You can skip this step if you’re pressed for time, but the only way to get neat, nice-looking slices is to chill the belly thoroughly before slicing it.)
In a small bowl, combine the cucumbers and the remaining 1 tablespoon of the sugar and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Use right away or refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
When you're ready to make the buns, cut the pork belly into ½-inch slices about 2 inches long. Warm in a pan over medium heat for a minute or two, until softened and heated through. Use the pork right away.
In the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, stir the yeast and 1½ cups room temperature water. Add the flour, sugar, pork fat, milk powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda and mix on the lowest speed for 8 to 10 minutes. The dough should gather together into a ball on the hook. Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, turning to coat with the oil. Cover the bowl with a dry kitchen towel and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until doubled in size.
Punch the dough down and turn out onto a clean work surface. Using a sharp knife, divide the dough in half, then divide each half into 5 pieces. Gently roll the pieces into logs, then cut each log into 5 pieces, making 50 pieces total. They should be about the size of a Ping-Pong ball and weigh about 25 grams each. Roll each piece into a ball and arrange on baking sheets. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for 30 minutes. While they're rising, cut out 50 (4-inch) squares of parchment paper.
After 30 minutes, using a rolling pin, roll each ball into a 4-inch-long oval. Brush lightly with the oil, lay a chopstick horizontally across the center of the oval, and fold the oval over onto itself to form a bun. Gently pull out the chopstick, leaving the bun folded, and transfer to a square of parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and form the rest of the buns. Let the buns rest for 30 to 45 minutes; they will rise a little.
Set up a steamer on top of the stove. Working in batches so you don’t crowd the steamer, steam the buns on the parchment squares for 10 minutes. Remove the parchment. You can use the buns immediately or allow them to cool, then put them in plastic freezer bags and freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat the frozen buns in a stovetop steamer for 2 to 3 minutes, until puffy, soft, and warmed all the way through. Freeze half of the buns in airtight bags for another time.
Open a warm bun and spread about 2 teaspoons of the hoisin sauce on the inside. Add 2 pieces of pork belly, then a couple slices of pickle. Add a scattering of scallions and a squirt of Sriracha if you like. Repeat with the remaining buns.