Siopao (Asado) Recipe

Siopao is an all-time favorite Filipino snack. It is Chinese in origin, derived from a Hokkien term that literally means “steamed buns”. Today, Siopao is found in every Chinese restaurant, convenience stores, and even in several street food vendors nationwide. Why not? This merienda is tasty and it would definitely fill up your hungry tummy.

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Although it may come in different filings or flavors, only two of them dominate: Siopao Asado and Siopao Bola-bola. If you feel like having this snack today, you could definitely try making one at home and have as much as you want! Here is the recipe for DIY Siopao Asado:

Ingredients

• For the Dough:
• 2 cups warm water
• 2 ½ tbsp sugar (added to yeast mixture)
• ½ cup sugar (added to the flour mixture)
• 1 pouch dry yeast
• 5 cups all purpose flour
• 1 ¼ tbsp baking powder
• 6 tbsp shortening
• For the Filling:
• 2 lbs pork, chopped into small pieces
• 3 tbsp lard or shortening
• 2 tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 large onion, minced
• 2 tbsp cornstarch, diluted in ¼ cup water
• 4 tbsp soy sauce
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 3 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp hoisin sauce

Instructions

1. Cook the Asado filling by heating the shortening in a pan.
2. Saute the garlic and onions.
3. Put-in the pork and cook until the color of the outer part turns light brown.
4. Add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, and sugar then mix well. Simmer for minutes.
5. Put in the corn starch (diluted in water) and mix until the texture of the sauce becomes thick then set aside.
6. Make the dough by placing warm water in a bowl then add the yeast and sugar and mix well.
7. Leave the mixture for 10 to 15 minutes.
8. In a mixing bowl, put-in the flour, baking powder, shortening (or lard), and the yeast-sugar-water mixture then mix well (bubbles should have formed on top by then).
9. Knead the combined mixture until the texture of the dough becomes fine. Let the dough rise by setting it aside for at least an hour (place in the mixing bowl and cover the top).
10. Knead the dough again then cut into individual slices (this will be the dough per individual siopao).
11. Flatten the dough until a round shape is formed using a rolling pin.
12. Put the asado filling on the middle of the flattened dough and wrap.
13. Place the siopao in a steamer and steam for 15 minutes.