Cuapao fills soft lotus leaf buns with long-simmered pork asado, burong mustasa, and roasted peanuts.
2 hours 45 minutes · Serves 6
Ingredients for Cuapao
Lotus leaf buns
Pork asado filling
Burong mustasa
Chopped roasted peanuts
400 g pork loin, cubed
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp hoisin sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch, dissolved in 1/3 cup water
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
1 cup water
Oil
Salt, to taste
1 bunch mustard greens
1 cup uncooked rice
6 cups boiled water
2 1/2 tbsp sea salt
How to cook Cuapao
1.Heat oil in a pan, sauté garlic, add pork, and stir-fry for 3 minutes.
2.Add water, soy sauce, brown sugar, and five-spice powder. Bring to a boil and simmer on low for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
3.Stir in hoisin sauce and cornstarch slurry. Simmer until thick, season with salt, and set aside.
4.Wash mustard greens, drain, and sun-wilt for 2 hours. Cook rice with boiled water over medium heat until soft.
5.Mash wilted mustard greens with sea salt in a sterilized jar. Strain rice water, cool it, pour it over the greens, and ferment at room temperature for 5 days.
6.Steam lotus leaf buns as directed. Fill with burong mustasa, 2 tbsp pork asado, and roasted peanuts.
