Asia’s 2017 best female chef May Chow with her beef brisket “bao” creation

There are many reasons to miss Hong Kong, such as the shopping, the great outdoors, and the nightlife, but it’s probably the food that would top anyone’s “things I miss most about Hong Kong” list.

Earlier this year, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) launched its “100 Reasons to Miss Hong Kong” campaign, allowing Filipinos to reminisce about what they’ve come to love about Hong Kong.

The HKTB recently collaborated with celebrity couple Nico Bolzico and Solenn Heussaff for another spouse cook-off where they tried recreating a beef brisket bao dish made by Asia’s 2017 best female chef, May Chow.

“There are plenty of noodle shops in Hong Kong, and one of the nostalgic signatures is definitely the beef brisket noodle. Originally from China in the regions of Fuchun and Chiuchow, it’s become an iconic dish in Hong Kong,” said Chow.

This beef brisket bao dish might remind you of Hong Kong’s beef brisket noodle. Check out this unique twist on Asia’s World City’s signature dish and try it out in your own kitchens.

Beef Brisket Bao

1 pc bao bun

1½ kg beef brisket

1 pc white radish

1 pc ginger

1 pc scallion

Few slices pickled cucumber

Small amount of butter

Sauce: 1 Tbsp Chiuchow chili oil

1 Tbsp mayonnaise

Batter: 120 g all-purpose flour

140 g cornstarch

3 g baking powder

200 g water

220 g vodka

5-spice marinade: 500 g Japanese soy

75 g sweet soy kecap manis600 g water

75 g dark soy sauce

1 pc bay leaf

1 pc star anise

2 pc dried red chili

6 g 5-spice powder

275 g rock sugar

2½ g Szechuan peppercorn

1 pc cinnamon stick

Salad: Celery

Dried radish

Coriander

Scallion

Fried shallots

Prepare 5-spice marinade until rock sugar is melted. Put aside.

Prepare a pot of water and add 2 slices of ginger, scallion, and Szechuan pepper. Slice the beef brisket, add them into the pot of water, and let boil for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, rinse the beef brisket with clean water. Add white radish and cook for another 15 minutes.

Prepare salad by mixing all the ingredients together.

In a pressure cooker, add the 5-spice marinade and beef brisket. Cook for about 30 minutes.

Mix the sauce while waiting. Slice the radish. Prepare batter.

Steam the bao buns and then griddle them.

Prepare the batter for the beef brisket and deep-fry until crispy.

To assemble the beef brisket bao, start with the bottom end of the bao then add the salad, followed by the fried beef brisket, pickled cucumber and chili mayo, finishing it off with the other end of the bao.

discoverhongkong.com