Siopao Asado

Ingredients

Siopao Dough

• ¾ cup lukewarm water
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 2 ½ cups flour spoon and level
• 1 teaspoon double acting baking powder
• 3 tablespoons granulated white sugar
• pinch of salt
• 2 ½ tablespoons shortening

Pork Asado Filling

• 1 small onion chopped
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 pound pork shoulder or pork butt diced
• 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 ½ tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 ½ tablespoons Hoisin sauce
• 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch diluted in 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons oil
• salt to taste

Siopao Sauce

• ¾ cup reserved pork broth strained (from pork asado filling)
• ½ cup water
• ¼ teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 teaspoons cornstarch diluted in 3 teaspoons water
• salt to taste

Other ingredients

• 2 hard boiled eggs peeled and quartered
• 8 Parchment paper

Instructions

Pork Asado Filling

1. In a pan, add oil over medium heat.
2. Saute onion until translucent.
3. Add garlic. Cook for 1 ½ minutes.
4. Add diced pork. Cook until pale.
5. Stir-in brown sugar, soy sauce, hoisin sauce and oyster sauce. Cook for a minute.
6. Pour water. Bring to a boil then lower heat to medium-low and let pork asado mixture to simmer until fork tender, about 30 minutes or so. Cover pan with lid.
7. When tender, reserve ¾ cup braising liquid. Strain and return the solids in the pan. Set aside reserved liquid as base for siopao sauce.
8. Season with salt. Note: If you prefer shredded pork, remove meat with a slotted spoon and shred with 2 forks and return to pan.
9. Slowly pour the cornstarch mixture while stirring constantly until well blended and slightly thick. Note: Don’t pour cornstarch mixture all at once. Start only with half and see if pork asado filling consistency has thicken. It should not be runny or very thick.
10. Turn off heat and transfer in a bowl to cool. Note: It is easier to divide and add filling, if refrigerated. This is optional, though.

Siopao sauce

1. Make the siopao sauce on the same pan (without washing) over medium heat..
2. Combine reserved braising liquid, water, soy sauce, hoisin sauce and brown sugar. Bring to a simmer for about 2-3 minutes over medium-low heat.
3. Season with salt.
4. Slowly pour cornstarch slurry while stirring constantly. Siopao sauce should be slightly thick. Note: Don’t pour cornstarch mixture all at once. Start with half then add the remaining cornstarch slurry if needed.
5. Turn off heat and set aside. Transfer to a container. Note: Warm in the microwave when ready to use.

Make Siopao Dough

1. Measure all-purpose flour using spoon and level technique (see tips on post). Sift then measure again and remove excess flour. Note: Reserve excess flour to use when kneading.
2. Combine all the dry ingredients: Flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. If not not using a stand mixer, after combining the ingredients add water and yeast. Mix and combine with a wooden spoon. Skip to KNEAD.
3. If using a stand mixer, add lukewarm water and yeast then add the dry ingredients. Use a dough hook and mix at low speed (Kitchen Aid # 1 to #2).
4. Once combined, raise speed to medium until well blended. Once you feel stand mixer is working hard. Turn off mixer.
5. Knead – Sprinkle surface with 1 to 2 tablespoons of flour so dough doesn’t stick. Knead dough until smooth. Note: If you did not use a stand mixer initially, knead for about 10 to 12 minutes. If you use a stand mixer, knead for about 5 – 8 minutes or until smooth.
6. Proof – Form dough into a ball then transfer in a lightly greased bowl with room to expand. Cover bowl with saran wrap. Place inside oven with lid close or in a warmer area in your kitchen or pantry for an hour until dough double in size.
7. Divide Dough – Punch dough with your fist to release air. Form dough into a log and divide into 8 pieces.
8. Assemble Siopao – Flatten each dough using a rolling pin with center thicker than surrounding areas. Place dough in one hand then fill the center with 2 ½ to 3 tablespoons pork asado and egg. Seal using the traditional way (round siopao) or with pleated top. With the traditional way, gather the edges to the center and seal the edges tightly to prevent filling from spilling then put the paper lining. With pleated top, I suggest you watch my video. The edges are gathered in a pleated way then it is twisted to seal, then place parchment paper at the bottom.
9. The 1st assembled siopaos will be steamed first. It had time to rise while making the others.
10. STEAM – Before filling siopao, fill the bottom of steamer with 6 to 8 cups water over medium heat. Bring to a simmer then adjust heat to medium-low. Water should not be boiling. Place 4 siopao in 1st steamer basket and another 4 on the 2nd steamer basket covered with lid wrapped in cloth. Cloth will absorb water droplets that will drip on siopao. Steam for 15 minutes. Don’t open lid while steaming. Turn off heat and wait about 2 minutes before opening lid.
11. Note: Siopao skin is smoother if using only 1 basket steamer. Water droplets from the 1st steamer basket can still drop on siopao in the 2nd basket (middle steamer) even with lid wrapped in cloth.
12. Serve warm with warm siopao sauce. Enjoy!