Siopao Asado

Siopao is a steamed bun filled with either pork or chicken. The more popular filling of the Pinoy siopao are pork or chicken asado (with or without boiled egg) and bola-bola (meat balls). Before the coming of siopao in fasfoods restaurant and kiosk, siopao are peddled in the street. Those siopaos then are traditionally prepared or cooked. I could remember, back then besides removing the papers, the outer skin has to be peeled off the siopao. I was not sure why but this was probably for hygienic purposes.

Today with the advent of new food cooking techniques and technology, siopao are easier to make, fluffier, whiter and have assorted fillings and flavors. And of course more hygienic. Making a homemade siopao is fairly easy, but requires several trials and of course errors, but once you have perfected it, surely it would be a conversation attraction when ever you served them at any gathering especially these holiday season. Siaopao Asado is part of my Celebration recipes for this Christmas Season. Siopao are sold along with the puto bumbong, bibingka and other kakanin peddlers during the Simbang Gabi or Midnight Mass. Here is my sipao asado version.

Ingredients:

Dough:
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tbsp. active dry yeast
3 tsp. baking powder
3 tsp salt
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup lukewarm water
16 pcs. 2” x 2” white paper
2-3 tbsp vinegar

Filling:
2 cups diced pork
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tbsp. char siu sauce
1 tbsp. hoisin sauce
4 tbsp. soy sauce
4 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cornstarch dissolved
salt and pepper
cooking oil
6 large size egg, hard boiled, quartered

Dipping sauce
3 tbsp. hoisin sauce
3 tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
salt and pepper

Cooking procedure:

To make the filling:
Marinate pork in char siu sauce for at least 2 hours. In a sauce pan stir fry garlic then add in marinated pork and stir cook for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown garlic. Add in soy sauce and hoisin sauce, stir cook for another minute. Add in sugar and 2 to 3 cups of water, bring to a boil and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until most on the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Thicken sauce with cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup of water. Cook for another minute, remove from heat and let cool down.

To make the dipping sauce:
I a small sauce pan bring to a boil 2 cup of water. Add in sugar, stir and simmer until dissolved. Add in hoisin sauce and soy sauce cook for a minute. Thicken sauce with cornstarch dissolved in 1/2 cup of water. Cook for another minute. Remove from heat and let cool down.

To make the dough:
In small bowl dissolve yeast and sugar in lukewarm water, set aside. Shift all purpose flour, baking powder and salt in a big bowl. Pour the dissolved yeast mixture into the dry flour mixture, slowly incorporate mixture until it is solid enough to handle, Place the dough onto a lightly floured board and knead for 5 to 8 minutes until smooth. Sprinkle small amounts of flour as you knead. Form into a big ball of dough. Grease the big bowl and place dough and cover with a damp cloth. Let rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the dough doubles in size. Knead the dough again on lightly floured board for 3 to 5 minutes. Roll dough into a log then divide into 16 equal pieces.

To assemble:
Roll each dough piece into a ball using the palms of your hands then flatten to about 3” to 4” in diameter. Add flour as needed to prevent sticking to the hands. Place 1 tbsp meat filling and quartered egg into the center of the flattened dough. Enclose the filling by gathering the sides of the dough, pinch and twist to seal. Place upside down, twisted side at the bottom on to the white paper squares. Repeat process for the rest of the dough and filling. Cover filled dough with damp cloth and allow to rise for another hour before steaming.

Steaming:
Pour enough water into the steamer, add 2-3 tbsp. vinegar. Bring to a boil then lower heat to a steady steam. Arrange siopao on a steamer tray giving enough space for the bun to rise. Place tray on to the steamer. Place muslin cloth in between steamers to avoid water drips. Steam siopao for 20 to 25 minutes. Serve with the prepared dipping sauce.

See other Kakanin Merienda recipes:

Turon na Saging
Turon, Fried Banana Roll
Turon Tikoy and Fried Tikoy
Cheesy Maruya, Fried Banana with Cheese
Special Vigan Royal Bibingka
Vigan Royal Bibingka Recipe
Baked Biko Sapin Sapin Style
Biko na Pirurutong
Pirurutong na Biko with Coco Jam, Suman na Pirurutong
Champorado with Pinipig and Pandan Milk
Puto Bumbong
Pichi Pichi
Palitaw, Dila-Dila
Puto Special
Baked Leche Flan