Siopao

Siopao is a favorite Filipino snack, consisting of a meat filling inside a steamed rice-flour bun, a larger version of Chinese dumplings. It is usually sold as part of dim sum by Chinese-style restaurants.

Asado siopao is filled with diced pork or beef cooked in soy sauce (with salt and sugar added to taste); its taste and texture a bit like adobo. Indeed, a good use for leftover adobo is siopao filling. Bola-bola is a local term for Chinese-style filling; chopped pork and Chinese sausage baked with egg and flour to a consistency akin to meatloaf.

Estimated cooking time: 3 hours and 30 minutes

Siopao Ingredients:

• 6 cups flour
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 lb cubed pork loin or chicken thighs
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons cooking oil
• 1 cup lukewarm water

• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 6 hard-boiled eggs
• 2 green onions
• 4 teaspoons light soy sauce
• 4 teaspoons brown sugar
• 4 teaspoons oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch, dissolved in 2 t. water
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 6 teaspoons baking powder

Siopao Cooking Instructions:

• Siopao Dough:
  

  • Mix flour, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl, set aside.
  • In another bowl dissolve yeast in lukewarm water then add 1 cup of the flour mixture.
  • Mix thoroughly.
  • Cover with a cloth and let rise 1 hour.
  • Meanwhile, dissolve the white sugar in the boiling water.
  • Stir well then let cool to lukewarm.
  • Pour into the yeast mixture, then add the rest of the prepared flour mixture.
  • Stir to blend well.
  • Grease a large bowl.
  • Turn dough out onto a floured board and knead for 3 minutes-you want your dough smooth, not sticky.
  • Place ball into bowl, turn once and cover with a damp cloth.
  • Let rise 2 hours or until doubled.

Siopao Filling:

• Saute the garlic and onions in a small amount of oil in a wok.
• Add meat and stir fry for 1 minute or until meat is no longer pink.
• Add soy sauce, oyster sauce and brown sugar.
• Pour in the dissolved cornstarch and stir fry quickly until meat is glazed well.
• Remove from heat and let cool.