Bao Buns with Sticky-Sweet Pork

Finely grate the ginger and crush or mince the garlic. Slice the onion into half rings. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar with the soy sauce and a drizzle of sunflower oil (see Tip). Transfer the flour to a bowl. Thinly slice the pork tenderloin and season with salt and pepper, then coat it with a thin layer of flour.

Tip: you can also add some sambal or sriracha from your pantry if preferred.

Bake the bao buns for 4 - 5 minutes. Meanwhile, heat a light drizzle of sunflower oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry half of the garlic for 1 minute, then stir in the sugarsnaps and fry for 3 - 4 minutes. Deglaze with half of the East Asian-style sauce and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, heat a generous drizzle of sunflower oil in another large frying pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is nice and hot, sear the pork for 1 minute per side, ensuring the slices do not overlap (see Tip). Remove the pork from the pan and set aside (it doesn't need to be completely cooked yet).

Tip: if your pan is too small, fry the pork in batches.

In the same pan, fry the ginger with the onion and the rest of the garlic for 2 - 3 minutes over medium-low heat. Stir in the sweet soy sauce from step 2, along with the water (see pantry for amount). Bring to a boil and then add the pork back to the pan as soon as the sauce is bubbling. Stir regularly until the sauce has reduced and become sticky.