One of the world's oldest sandwiches, roujiamo brings together melt-tender pork belly braised low and slow in soy, shaoxing and warming spices, piled into a flaky, crispy homemade bun.
Category
Lunch
Servings
4
Prep time
30 minutes
Cook time
3 minutes
Roujiamo is often called the Chinese burger, and honestly that description does a decent job. It’s a Xi’an street food classic: slow-cooked, spiced pork belly that gets chopped up and loaded into a crispy, pan-fried bun. The name breaks down as rou (meat), jia (sandwiched), mo (bread), and versions of this dish have been eaten in the Shaanxi province for over 2000 years, making it one of the oldest sandwiches in the world.
The pork is the heart of it. It gets blanched first to clean it up, then caramelised in rock sugar before a 3-hour braise with shaoxing wine, soy sauces, star anise, sichuan peppercorn, cinnamon and bay. By the time it’s done it’s fall-apart tender and deeply savoury, with a richness that holds up against the bun.
The bun, called a mo, is made from a semi-fermented dough that gets rolled, shaped and pan-fried before a quick finish in the oven. The layering technique creates a slight flakiness on the outside and a soft, chewy inside. Fill them hot and eat straight away.
Ingredient Notes
Pork belly: The fat content in belly is what keeps the meat moist and tender over the long braise. Don’t substitute with lean cuts. Pork shoulder also works if needed.
Rock sugar: Rock sugar has a lower intensity sweetness than white sugar due to minimal processing. It’s used here to caramelise the pork at the start of the braise. Find it at Asian supermarkets. If substituting with white sugar, use about 70g instead of 100g.
Shaoxing wine: A Chinese rice wine that adds depth and a slightly nutty, savoury flavour to the braise. Find it at Asian supermarkets. Dry sherry is the closest substitute if you can’t track it down.
Sichuan peppercorns: These add a subtle numbing heat and floral quality to the braising liquid. They’re distinct from regular black pepper. Find them at Asian supermarkets or spice shops.
Dark soy sauce: Richer, less salty and slightly sweet compared to light soy. It adds colour and depth to the braise. Don’t swap it out for light soy as the flavour balance will be off.
Equipment you’ll need
- Large saucepan with a lid
- Electric mixer with dough hook
- Heavy based frying pan with a lid
- Wire rack and tray
Ingredients
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1kg pork belly
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10cm piece ginger
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3 spring onions, whites and greens separated
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2 tsp peanut oil (or other neutral oil)
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100g rock sugar
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1 tsp sichuan peppercorns
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2 star anise
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1 cinnamon stick
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3 bay leaves
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30ml shaoxing
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30ml light soy sauce
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20ml dark soy sauce
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1L water (approximately)
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250ml (1 cup) warm water
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1½ tsp dried yeast
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450g (3 cups) plain flour
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½ tsp baking powder
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½ tsp bicarb soda
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1 tsp fine sea salt
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30ml vegetable oil
Dough
Directions
Prep the pork
Chop the pork into 8 large chunks and place in a large saucepan. Slice the ginger into thin slices and add half to the saucepan. Cover with cold water and place over a high heat.
Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes, skimming off any scum that comes to the surface. Drain the pork off and rinse under cold water.
Rinse the saucepan out and return to the stovetop.
Cook the filling
Chop the spring onion whites into chunks, and finely slice the spring onion greens, keeping them separate.
Heat the oil in the saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the rock sugar and stir until melted.
Cook the sugar until it starts to turn a golden caramel, then return the pork to the saucepan. Cook the pork in the caramel, turning to coat on all sides and caramelise.
Add the remaining ginger to the saucepan, along with the sichuan peppercorns, star anise, cinnamon, bay leaves and whites of the spring onion. Pour in the shaoxing, light and dark soy sauces, then top up with just enough water to cover the pork.
Cover with a tight fitting lid and cook at a simmer for 3 hours, until very tender.
Once cooked, transfer the pork to a wire rack over a tray and set aside until cool enough to handle.
Make the dough
For the dough, place the yeast and water in the bowl of an electric mixer with the dough hook attachment and mix on low speed for 1 minute to combine.
Add the flour, baking powder, bicarb soda, salt and oil and continue to mix until it comes together as a shaggy dough.
Increase the speed to medium low for about 6 minutes to knead until smooth and elastic.
Shape into a ball and set aside, covered, to rest for 30 minutes.
Cook the dough
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan forced (365°F). Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and knead lightly to smooth out. Divide into 8 equal pieces.
Shape each piece into a round, then roll out to a long, thin rectangle. Starting at one end, roll up tightly to make a log, folding the tail underneath one end. Stand it upright, then press the log down with the palm of your hand to make a flat round again.
Repeat with the remaining dough.
Heat a lightly oiled heavy based frying pan over medium heat. Cook the dough discs in batches, covered, for 2 minutes, until browned on the first side. Uncover and turn over and cook for a further 2 minutes.
Transfer to an oven tray and repeat with the remaining dough discs. Place the oven tray with all of the buns on it in the oven for 4 minutes.
Finish and serve
Chop the pork up finely and mix with the sliced spring onion greens.
Slice the buns open almost all the way through to open up. Divide the filling evenly and spoon into the buns. Serve warm.
Recipe video
Recipe notes
Chef Tips
The dough is semi-fermented
This dough doesn’t need to double in size the way a standard yeasted bread does. You’re looking for it to grow by about a third to a half during the 30-minute rest. Over-proofing will make the buns too soft and bready rather than the dense, slightly chewy mo you’re after. Don’t leave it longer than needed.
Sourcing rock sugar and shaoxing
Both rock sugar and shaoxing wine are available at most Asian supermarkets. Rock sugar comes in irregular lumps or small uniform cubes. Either works here. If you can’t find shaoxing, dry sherry is the closest substitute. If you can’t find rock sugar, use 70g white sugar in its place.
Substitutions
There are regional variations of this dish throughout China for both the spices and the protein. Muslim communities in Xi’an traditionally use slow-cooked beef or lamb in place of pork. The spice blend is flexible too. You can add dried chilli for heat, or use a teaspoon of five spice powder if you don’t have all the individual spices on hand.
Don’t skip the blanching step
Simmering the pork in plain water for 15 minutes before the main braise removes impurities, excess fat and any gamey flavour. Rinsing the pork afterwards keeps the braising liquid clean and clear. It makes a noticeable difference to the final flavour.
Storing and reheating
The pork filling can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a saucepan or microwave before chopping and serving. The buns are best made fresh, but cooked buns can be stored separately at room temperature and reheated in a dry frying pan or warm oven.
FAQs
Can I make this ahead of time? The pork can be braised a day or two ahead and kept in the fridge. Reheat it gently before chopping to serve. Make the buns fresh on the day as they’re best eaten hot and freshly filled.
Can I use a different cut of pork? Pork shoulder works as an alternative to belly. The fat in belly is what keeps it moist and tender over the long braise, so avoid lean cuts like loin as they’ll dry out.
Can I make the dough by hand instead of using a mixer? Yes. Mix the ingredients together in a bowl until they come together into a shaggy dough, then turn it out and knead by hand for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. The dough is fairly stiff so it takes some effort.
Is the dough supposed to double in size? No. This is a semi-fermented dough, so you’re only looking for it to increase by about a third to a half during the rest. Don’t leave it much longer than 30 minutes.
Can I freeze the buns? Yes, the cooked buns freeze well. Cool them completely, then freeze in a sealed bag for up to a month. Reheat in a dry frying pan over medium heat or in a warm oven until heated through.
What do I serve with roujiamo? They’re a complete meal on their own, traditionally eaten as a snack or quick lunch. Some versions add a finely chopped fresh chilli or a drizzle of chilli oil into the filling. Cold beer or a light Chinese tea goes well alongside.
