Braised Pork Belly Bao

Name: Braised Pork Belly Bao
Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds fresh pork belly, with skin; 1 tablespoon peanut oil; 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce; 1/2 cup vegetable stock; 4 tablespoons light soy sauce; 1 heaping tablespoon brown sugar; 1 tablespoon Shaohsing rice wine; 1-inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated; 1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns; 2 star anise; 1 tablespoon cornstarch blended with 2 tablespoons water (cornstarch slurry); 1 cup salted peanuts, ground or chopped; 2 heaping tablespoons brown sugar; 10 to12 Chinese bao buns or small plain burger buns; Quick Cucumber and Shallot Pickle, recipe follows; 2 scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces, then julienned; 4 sprigs fresh cilantro, chopped; 1 hothouse or English cucumber, thinly sliced; 1 large shallot, peeled and thinly sliced; 1/4 cup mirin; 1/4 cup rice vinegar; 1 tablespoon sugar