Do you know how to make Siopao?

It’s a fact that we Pinoys really loooove to eat. And most if not many love to eat siopao. Okay, now it rings a bell. Pinoys love to eat dimsum, aha, that is an opportunity. Very well, let us talk business then. You can start this in your house and try it first to your neighbors, or probably family friends. And who knows maybe one day or two…

So here goes:

SIOPAO RECIPE – Method #1

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

Procedures:

1. Mix flour, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl, set aside.
2. In another bowl dissolve yeast in lukewarm water then add 1 cup of the flour mixture.
3. Mix thoroughly.
4. Cover with a cloth and let rise 1 hour.
5. Meanwhile, dissolve the white sugar in the boiling water.
6. Stir well then let cool to lukewarm.
7. Pour into the yeast mixture, then add the rest of the prepared flour mixture.
8. Stir to blend well.
9. Grease a large bowl.
10. Turn dough out onto a floured board and knead for 3 minutes-you want your dough smooth, not sticky.
11. Place ball into bowl, turn once and cover with a damp cloth.
12. Let rise 2 hours or until doubled.
13. Meanwhile saute the garlic and onions in a small amount of oil in a wok.
14. Add meat and stir fry for 1 minute or until meat is no longer pink.
15. Add soy sauce, oyster sauce and brown sugar.
16. Pour in the dissolved cornstarch and stir fry quickly until meat is glazed well.
17. Remove from heat and let cool.
18. Punch down dough and knead on a floured board for 3 to 5 minutes.
19. Divide dough and roll each half into a 12×2 inch log.
20. Cut each into 12 pieces, making 24.
21. Roll each piece into a ball using your hands then rolling it flat into a 3 inch diameter circle.
22. Dust with flour if needed to prevent sticking.
23. Place 1 slice of egg into center of dough round, then 1 T. of filling with sauce.
24. Gather sides of round, pinch together and twist.
25. Place pinched side down on parchment paper and place in steamer.
26. Repeat until done.
27. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise for 1 hour.
28. Steam Siopao for 20 minutes.
29. You can freeze cooked Siopao, simply re-steam for 10 minutes.

SIOPAO RECIPE – Method #2

Ingredients :

• 3 c. All purpose flour
• 3 tsps, yeast
• 1 1/2 c. luke warm water
• 4 tbsp. Sugar
• 1/2 c. shortening ( crisco)
• 1 tsp. salt

Preparation:

1. Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water.
2. When dissolved, add sugar and 2-1/2 c. flour to make a soft sponge. Beat thoroughly
3. Set aside to rise until double in bulk. ( 20 – 30 minutes).
4. Add remaining flour and 1/4 cup shortening, and mix well. Knead until smooth
5. Divide dough into 24-36 pieces depending on desired size
6. Form into balls. Set aside

Filling:

• 1/2 k pork or chicken (cut into small pieces or coarsely ground) 1 c. onion (chopped)
• 1 clove Garlic (chopped finely)
• 3 tbsps. soy sauce
• 3 tbsp. Hoi sin sauce (can be fine at Oriental store)
• 3 tbsp. Sesame oil (or crisco is fine)
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. ground pepper
• 6 hard boiled eggs (cut in slice or cubes)
• 1 tsp. MSG (if preferred)
• Filling Preparation

Procedures:

1. Saute garlic, onion in a sesame oil (or Crisco)
2. Add pork or chicken
3. Cook till lightly brown
4. Add water, soy sauce, hoi sin sauce, sugar, ground pepper, (MSG), and corn starch (or corn flour)
5. Stir until sauce boils
6. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 2 minutes
7. Remove pan from heat
8. Add hard boiled eggs
9. Let cool for 5 minutes

Filling the dough:

1. Take each ball of dough and roll out on floured surface.
2. Place one round of dough in palm of hand.
3. Put one table spoon of filling in center of siopao dough.
4. Press edges of dough together.
5. Take the 2 ends of bun, bring them up over the pinched edge and twist together firmly.
6. Cut 12 pieces of greaseproof paper (wax paper) Into 2 inches square.
7. Brush one side lightly with oil.
8. Place a bun upside down, so the smooth rounded side is uppermost, on each oiled piece of paper.
9. Steam siopao dough for 20 minutes.

CHA SIOPAO (Cantonese Style Roast Pork Asado Siopao)Authentic Cantonese siopao from chef Henry Cheung of The Good Earth Restaurant, and his authentic Cantonese, also known as Hong Kong-style, Cha Siopao recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cup high gluten, high protein, first class or bread flour
• 1-1/2 cup low gluten, cake flour or third-class flour (use cake flour for whiter dough)
• 6 g active dry yeast
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 4 tsp ammonia bicarbonate (to smoothen dough)
• 1 cup warm water

Procedures:

Combine yeast, ammonia and warm water. Mix flours and make a well. Pour yeast mixture in the center of the well and slowly incorporate mixture. Once the mixture is solid enough to handle, knead until smooth.

Grease bowl and put the dough, cover with cling wrap. Let it rise until the dough has doubled in size. Remove dough from bowl, put on a flat surface and sprinkle with all-purpose flour on top.

Mix baking powder with dough and knead until smooth. Roll dough to 2-inch round and 12-inch long baton/log. Set dough aside.

Cha Siu filling: (roast pork filling, good for 900 g of dough)
400 g Chinese roast pork, diced (available in Chinese restaurants)

Sauce for filling:

• 3/4 c low gluten flour
• 1/3 c scallion, chopped
• 1/3 c ginger root, pounded
• 3 tbsp salad oil

A.
1 c water
3 tbsp sugar
2/3 tsp chicken powder
1/2 tsp red vinegar

B.
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp Chinese soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
2/3 tbsp salad oil
white bond paper cut to size

Sift the flour, set aside. Pour in salad oil in pan and add scallions and ginger, saute. Drain oil. In a bowl, combine flour, scallions and ginger. Put mixture A in a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Take the mixture off the fire and combine with flour mixture to form a paste. Combine roast pork and B together, mix well. Combine A and B. Divide the dough and filling into equal portions and wrap filling in dough. Line with bond paper. Steam over high heat for 15 minutes.

SIOPAO RECIPE – Method #4

Ingredients:

Dough Filling:

• 3 cups plain flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 60 g (2 oz) lard
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1/2 tsp salt

Filling

• 1 in piece green ginger
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tbsp hoi sin sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 3 tsp corn flour
• 4 shallots
• 8 oz Chinese barbecued pork

Instructions:

Note: These buns are cooked in steamers available in sets of two or three racks. Chinese barbecued pork can be bought at Chinese food stores, or you can make your own – this is basically tocino – the recipe will come out soon! Be patient.

1. Place peeled and grated ginger, crushed garlic and oil in frying pan, saute gently for one minute. Add hoi sin sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce and sesame oil, simmer for two minutes, stirring constantly. Add combined water and cornflour, stir until sauce boils; reduce heat, simmer uncovered for two minutes. Add very finely chopped pork, stir until combined. Remove pan from heat, add finely chopped shallots, stir until combined. Allow pork mixture to become complete cold.

2. to make the dough, sift flour, salt and baking powder into bowl. Rub in softened lard until mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Add combined warm water and vinegar, stir to a soft but pliable dough. Turn out on to lightly flour surface; knead lightly. Cover dough with plastic food wrap, allow to stand for 20 minutes. Knead lightly. Cut dough into 12 equal portions. Roll each portion into a ball.

3. Take each ball of dough and roll out on floured surface to a 4 in circle. Brush edge lightly with water. Place one round of dough in palm of hand. Put one tablespoon of filling in center of round. Press edges of dough together.

4. Take the two ends of bun, bring them up over the pinched edge and twist together firmly. Cut 12 pieces of greaseproof paper into 5in squares. Brush one side lightly with oil. Place a bun upside down, so the smooth rounded side is uppermost, on each oiled piece of paper.

5. Choose a saucepan slightly smaller than the diameter of the steamer. Fill saucepan to about 1/3 full of water, bring to boil. Arrange buns on paper in single layer in steamer. If using steamer with two or three racks, fill remaining racks the same way. Place on top of first rack. Put lid on top. Steam over gently boiling water for 20 minutes.

TIPS IN SIOPAO BUSINESS

Make sure your products are always fresh. Customers want their siopao fresh and hot when served, says Eymard Carandang of Siopao Express. “They can tell the difference, and they’ll come back if your siopao is good.”

Produce only the siopao that you can sell in a day. Siopao is perishable, so it’s a good idea to make only what you can sell. “We produce and deliver siopao to our outlets every day to ensure they’re always fresh,” says Ngan Tian of Lots A Pizza. “If the siopao in the steamer is not sold at the end of the day, you must throw it away,” says Carandang.

Know what your market wants. When Pacita Cheng of Pao Express gave away peanut, mongo, and ube siopao as birthday giveaways, those who received them pushed her to introduce the sweet varieties in the market. Ngan Tian came up with chicken asado siopao for her Muslim customers. “It’s important to come up with products that will suit the market,” she says.

Be consistent. Be careful with your mixing and preparations to produce consistently clean, nutritious , and delicious siopao.

Be careful with blending. The ingredients that you put into your siopao should blend very well with the dough. If not, your siopao will spoil easily.”

Handle your products with care. Steam your siopao carefully so the dough does not get too soggy or too dry. You must check on them every time.