{"id":45998,"date":"2026-01-15T15:27:15","date_gmt":"2026-01-15T20:27:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/omnivorescookbook.com\/?p=45998"},"modified":"2026-01-15T15:29:01","modified_gmt":"2026-01-15T20:29:01","slug":"guo-kui","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/omnivorescookbook.com\/guo-kui\/","title":{"rendered":"Guo Kui (Crispy Stuffed Flatbread, \u519b\u5c6f\u9505\u76d4)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

My Juntun Guo Kui, or layered bread with pork, is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside with a rich taste spiced up with Sichuan peppercorn. If you\u2019re into regional Chinese breads, this famous Chengdu snack is something you won\u2019t want to miss. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Chengdu<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Wandering the streets of Chengdu, the aroma of freshly fried guo kui is one of my favorite things and it always lures me to street food vendors any time of day. Thick, sesame-crusted, and crackly on the outside, yet layered and juicy inside, Juntun Guo Kui (\u519b\u5c6f\u9505\u76d4) is one of Chengdu\u2019s most iconic everyday snacks that I can\u2019t get enough of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are several types of Guo Kui out there and they are all very different. But today I want to focus on Juntun Guo Kui, which is a dish I immediately wanted to learn after my trip to Chengdu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Juntun Guo Kui is a little similar to Xian Bing (\u9985\u997c)<\/a> in northern China, which is like a large pan fried dumpling made with layered dough. Chengdu Guo Kui is pan-fried first, then baked, creating a deeply crispy crust while keeping the interior tender. What really sets this style apart, is its distinctive folding and rolling technique (check out the video I took in Chengdu and see the street vendor\u2019s slick moves!). It builds laminated layers of dough around a savory pork filling, creating a savory flaky pastry that\u2019s quite close to a scallion pancake<\/a>, but using meat instead of scallion in the dough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I modeled this recipe after the classic Sichuan street food style, using Sichuan peppercorn with a fragrant pork filling, wrapped in spiraled layers, and finished with a sesame seed crust that crackles when you bite into it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Cross<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ingredients<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Juntun Guo Kui uses a few simple ingredients to build a fragrant bread full of umami. You probably already have most of the ingredients in your pantry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Ingredients<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The dough<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

My recipe uses a hot water dough to create a bread that\u2019s crispy and flaky on the outside and tender inside. Although it uses yeast, the amount is quite small and the goal is to lighten up the texture of the bread. Sugar is used to activate the yeast, and salt to season the bread. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The dough is coated with sesame seeds before frying, forming a deeply nutty, aromatic crust that defines Chengdu guo kui.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Two-Filling System for Flavor and Layers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This style of guo kui uses two separate fillings:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Filling 1 is a butter flour paste that uses Sichuan peppercorn and salt to add flavor. It acts like a laminating fat (traditional Chinese recipes use lard). As the dough is rolled and stretched, this paste creates delicate layers that puff and separate during cooking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Filling 2 is a ground pork mixture. It brings juiciness and savory depth, seasoned simply with soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil, Sichuan peppercorn and scallion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to make Guo Kui<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Making Juntun Guo Kui does require some patience and technique, just as with other laminated pastries. But rest assured, the dough is very easy to work with and the process is super fun. Even if your layered dough doesn\u2019t turn out perfect, the bread will still be super tasty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prepare the two fillings<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

1. Make the butter flour paste first by mixing softened butter, flour, salt and peppercorn. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Butter<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

2. Make the pork filling by beating the ground pork with all the seasonings. Make sure to beat it until sticky so the filling holds together. Then mix in the scallion whites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Seasoned<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Prepare the dough<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

1. Activate the yeast in warm water with a pinch of sugar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Mix the dough by slowly adding boiling water into the flour. The hot water will partially cook the dough to limit gluten formation. The dough will be softer and more pliable, and easy to roll out before it springs back. It also results in flakier bites once cooked. I prefer to boil 1 cup water, more than the recipe calls for, and keep the water at a low boil until I\u2019m ready to use it. This way you can make sure the water is hot enough. Once you mix in the hot water, add the yeast along with the warm water and mix until soft dough flakes form. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Making<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

3. Knead the dough for a few minutes so it forms a dough. You can do this step with your hands or a stand mixer. Let the dough rest for 15 minutes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Smooth<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

4. Knead the dough a few times again, divide into six ball-shaped pieces, and rest for another 5 minutes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Portioned<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Assemble the bread<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Now comes the fun part! I highly recommend watching the video below. It is a short recording I took when I was visiting Chengdu. The street vendor was putting on a great show of how he makes Guo Kui, in a very professional way! Of course I don\u2019t do the dance in my recipe. But you will get a much better idea of how the bread is formed by watching the video.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Roll the dough into a long oval piece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Rolling<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

2. Spread out the butter flour mixture, leaving the edges blank. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Spread<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

3. Roll the dough and pinch to seal both ends, forming a small cylinder. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Roll<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

4. With the cylinder parallel to the table, roll it again into a long oval piece again. This time spread out the pork mixture on top, leaving the edges blank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Spread<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

5. Roll up the dough, making sure to stretch and tuck the dough so the layers will be thin. Once rolled up, tuck the edge of the dough onto one end and seal both ends as tightly as you can. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Roll<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

6. Place the dough on the table, sealed side down, and gently press it to form a round bread. Then place the dough in the bowl filled with sesame seeds. Press it to coat both sides with sesame seeds. Right before cooking, use a rolling pin to roll out the dough into a flatter bread. The bread will be much easier to roll out after resting and relaxing the gluten. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Dip<\/figure>\n\n\n\t\t
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Tip for storage<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you do not plan to serve the guo kui immediately, you can refrigerate or freeze the uncooked bread. When you\u2019re ready to cook, let it thaw in the fridge before cooking. <\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\t\t\r\n\t\t\n\n\n

Cook the guo kui<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

1. Cook the guo kui by frying it in the pan first. Fry until both sides are golden crispy. Then transfer it to a baking sheet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Pan-fry<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

2. Bake at 325\u00b0F (160\u00baC) for 15 to 20 minutes, until cooked through. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Pan-fried<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The guo kui will be super flaky and crispy on the outside, tender inside, and have a nice aroma from the pork. Enjoy it while it is still hot! If you have leftovers, you can reheat them in the oven or air fryer. For an even crispier result, you can also fry them in a pan again with some oil. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Serve Guo Kui<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In Chengdu, guo kui is often eaten plain and hot<\/strong>, straight from the stall. At home, it pairs beautifully:<\/p>\n\n\n\n