To Prep
To make pickled vegetables. combine all the ingredients and stir through until sugar dissolves. Leave for at least 15 mins before serving.
To Cook
Preheat air fryer to 200°C.
Place cuts on the meaty side of the pork belly, but do not pierce through to the skin. Turn pork over and score the skin of the pork belly.
Mix the sauces, Shaoxing wine, pepper and five-spice powder in a small bowl, and rub onto the underside of the pork belly.
Turn pork belly onto a sheet of foil. Rub bicarb soda all over the skin and into the cuts. Sprinkle salt on top and rub it all over the skin.
Fold up the foil to resemble a tray to fold around the pork belly, exposing only the skin.
Roast pork belly for 10 mins to dry up the skin. Then reduce heat to 180°C for 15 mins to cook the meat. Then increase heat to 220°C and bake for a further 10 mins to get crackling in the skin.
Prepare a steamer, and steam the bao for 2-3 mins.
Remove pork and rest for 5 mins. Brush salt off the skin, then slice.
Fill the buns with sliced cucumber, sliced crackling pork, and top half a tsp of hoisin sauce, pickled vegetables, coriander and spring onion.