Sticky pork belly buns

1. For the filling, use a sharp knife to deeply score the skin of the pork belly in a tight criss-cross pattern, going right into the fat layer beneath.

2. Mix the hoisin, soy sauce, Shaoxing or sherry, garlic and ginger in a roasting tin or ovenproof dish in which the pork will fit fairly snugly. Add the pork and turn to coat. Place skin-side up, cover and chill for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.

3. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160ºC fan/gas mark 4. Pour 200ml water into the tin/dish and cover with foil (making sure the foil doesn’t touch the pork skin). Roast for 2 hours 30 minutes, basting occasionally, or until tender.

4. Meanwhile, for the buns, heat the milk in a small pan until warm. Remove from the heat and mix in the oil and 75ml cold water. Mix the flour, sugar, yeast and ½ tsp fine salt in a large bowl, then make a well in the centre. Pour in the milk mixture and mix by hand until the dough comes together, then knead briefly in the bowl for 1-2 minutes. Cover and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

5. Tip the dough on to a clean surface and knead for 10 minutes, until smooth and bouncy. If the dough is sticking, grease the surface lightly. Divide and shape into eight neat balls, then roll each ball into a 3mm thick oval.

6. Brush the ovals lightly on both sides with oil and fold in half widthways, gently pressing together the sides. Put on individual squares of baking parchment, then cover loosely with greased cling film (oil-side down) and leave to rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until slightly puffed.

7. Put the buns in a steamer basket, spacing apart (you will need to do this in batches if you only have one basket). Cover with the steamer lid and sit the basket over a large pan half-filled with boiling water. Steam over a medium heat for 15 minutes, until light and puffy.

8. Remove the lid immediately to avoid condensation dripping on to the buns.

9. Once cooked, leave the pork to rest somewhere warm for 20 minutes.

10. Meanwhile, strain the cooking juices into a small pan, and skim off and discard any excess fat. Stir in the honey and bubble over a medium heat until reduced and syrupy.

11. Cut the pork into 16 slices. Pile into the steamed buns and drizzle over the sauce. Finish with the toppings and serve.