Gua bao, also known as pork belly buns, ambiguously, bao, or erroneously as the bao bun is a type of lotus leaf bun originating from Fujian cuisine.
Gua Bao is the indigenized version of the Fujianese Ruo Jao Bao. It is a popular snack in Taiwan and is commonly sold at night markets and restaurants.
It is also a popular street food in Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, and Nagasaki Chinatown in Japan.
It consists of a slice of stewed meat and condiments sandwiched between flat steamed bread known as lotus leaf bread or hé yè bǐng (荷叶饼). The lotus leaf bread is typically 6–8 centimetres (2.4–3.1 in) in size, semi-circular and flat in form, with a horizontal fold that, when opened, gives the appearance that it has been sliced. The traditional filling for gua bao is a slice of red-cooked pork belly, typically dressed with stir-fried suan cai (pickled mustard greens), coriander, and ground peanuts.