How to Make Siopao

A lot of search for siopao recipe has landed on this site. Well, I guess more Pinoys are interested with this kind of business. Proof is stands and carts selling cheap siopao are mushrooming all over because Filipinos love the dimsum. It takes little more than a steamer to start in the business though, but the art of making siopao is the main factor.

This additional post for other preparations and cooking methods will surely satisfy the searcher.

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 luke warm 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 luke warm.
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 12x2 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.

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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 luke warm water.
2. When dissolved, add sugar and 2-1/2 c. flour to make a soft sponge. Beat thouroughly
3. Set aside to rise until double in bulk. ( 20 - 30 minutes).
4. Add remainining 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 prefered)
• 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 oneside 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.

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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.

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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 diamer 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. Plac eon top of first rack. Put lid on top. Steam over gently boiling water for 20 minutes.

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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.

Siopao

24 steamed dumplings 3½ hours 3 hours prep

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

1. Mix flour, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl, set aside.
2. In another bowl dissolve yeast in luke warm 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 luke warm.
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 12x2 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. If using, place 1 slice of egg into center of dough round, then 1 T.
24. of filling with sauce.
25. Gather sides of round, pinch together and twist.
26. Place pinched side down on parchment paper and place in steamer.
27. Repeat until done.
28. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise for 1 hour.
29. Steam Siopao for 20 minutes.
30. You can freeze cooked Siopao, simply re-steam for 10 minutes.

Beef Asado Siopao

Beef Asado Siopao

When I was still in PI, during college days I used to buy siopao from Kowloon. I like their siopao because it had lots of filling, although the dough is not too well distributed - quite thin on one side, and thick on the other. However, I am not really a big fan of siopao dough made with rice flour. I prefer the ones made with all-purpose flour.

When I was a mother already, there was this aisle in SuperSale where I would get my beef asado siopao. They came in packs of 6, and must be chilled or frozen right away, and steamed to reheat/consumed. I liked its dough, but the filling was rather skimpy and had more starchy sauce than meat, although tasty.

Of course, since coming to the US, I have been experimenting. At first I made beef asado roll with the leftover beef pares and the Basic Egg Bread recipe. But that was baked. I had the theory that the same dough used for baking in the oven, when steamed, would give me siopao. The first how-to I found online was Sassy's post on pork asado siopao.

However, this time when I experimented, I made use of the dough for Parker House Rolls recipe, which has become one of my favorites, and I have made it my Master Dough for such things as pan de coco, pan de lemon, pan de sal, and anything where I use fillings. It is just so airy and light, and I like its taste. But you may want to consider other classic bread recipes featured in Breadworld.com, like Basic Egg Bread, Old-Fashioned Bread, etc.

What I used, of course, was the leftover from beef pares. I chopped it coarsely (not ground). I heated the excess sauce, seasoned it with sugar, soy sauce, salt, and pepper, then thickened with water-cornstarch mixture. Then I mixed the chopped beef, and chilled in the fridge until I was ready to use it.

Than I prepared the dough using Parker House Rolls recipe as per intructions UP TO THE INITIAL RISING. The reasons why I like this dough, aside from those mentioned above, was that I could make this at night and refrigerate it for use in the morning or the next supper time. That means I can divide it in half (two birds with one stone), and it is suitable for get-togethers in that I only have to shape and bake them on the day of the party.

PARKER HOUSE ROLLS

Makes 36 Rolls

4-3/4 to 5-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 envelopes FLEISCHMANN'S RapidRise Yeast
1-1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 large egg
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

Directions
In large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, sugar, undissolved yeast, and salt. Heat milk, water, and 1/4 cup butter until very warm (120o to 130oF). Stir into flour mixture. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Add egg and 1/2 cup flour; beat 2 minutes at high speed. Stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cover;* let rest 10 minutes.

Divide dough in half; roll each half to 12-inch square, about 1/4-inch thick. Cut each into 6 (2 x 12-inch) strips. Cut each strip into 3 (4 x 2-inch) rectangles. Brush each rectangle with melted butter. Crease rectangles slightly off center with dull edge of knife and fold at crease. Arrange in rows, slightly overlapping, on greased baking sheets, with shorter side of each roll facing down. Allow 1/4-inch of space between each row. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

Bake at 400oF for 13 to 15 minutes or until done. Remove from sheets; cool on wire rack. Brush with remaining melted butter.

* If desired, allow dough to rise in refrigerator 12 to 24 hours.

Source: Breadworld.com

Then I proceeded as depicted in the following slideshow:

Please note that it is entirely up to you what dough to use, be it using rice flour, or even using a biscuit dough recipe (like what my friend Ana does; it is time-saving!).

I used coffee filters instead of parchment/wax paper to line the underside of the buns. It was easier to fold several coffee filters into 1/4 size, then cut off the edges to come up with squares.

Before proceeding with the below procedures, start boiling the water in the steamer.

DETAILED PROCEDURE:

1. Prepare the dough and let rise for 10 minutes. (Note: For my rolls which I fill with something like siopao or pan de coco, I have found that handling and filling the dough is easier when it is cold. The same goes for the filling, especially for siopao and empanada. Do not try to fill the dough with lukewarm, runny filling. It will be frustrating.)

2. Cut the dough using a dough scraper/cutter into 2-inch wide logs, then cut further to make approximately 2x2 cubes. You may use your hand to just pinch off, as long as you don't squeeze them flat.

3. Lay them on a lightly greased baking sheet about 2 inches apart and let rise for further 10 minutes. Not only will this give you more airy buns later, but also allow for easier manipulation when filling them.

4. Using your hands, flatten each piece to about 1/4 inch thickness, thinnest at the sides.

5. Place about 1 heaping tbsp of the filling at the center.

6. Gather the edges and pinch together to seal. Place the dough on the paper with the seam under.

7. Arrange on the steamer pan about 1 inch apart.

8. Steam for 12 minutes. Prepare the next batch while waiting.
Notes: (1)I read in another blog to add vinegar to water to help make buns come out whiter. (2) It was advised to put clean dish towel (I used flour sack here) above the siopao doughs to prevent water condensing beneath the cover to drop onto the buns and make them soggy. (3) I tried to steam the first batch for 30 minutes with only a layer of flour sack under the cover, but I had a poor outcome as shown in the photo. Compare the wet bun on the left with the smooth and spongy bun on the right. So I also placed flour sack under the pan of buns, and those two covers gave me the smoothest spongy buns.

9. Cool for about 5 minutes then transfer to wire rack, then proceed with making the next batch.

10. You may eat this now, or let cool completely then place in freezer bags for future eating. (I covered with one coffee filter to help absorb moisture and lessen freezer burn). While I am not in a position to tell you how long it will last in the freezer, I am sure it won't reach one month before you (or family or friends) will consume them. When frozen, reheat for about 1 minute in the microwave. If it is just chilled in the fridge, reheat for 30 seconds.

I made some with chicken-mushroom filling (just shredded chicken mixed with cream of mushroom) because out of the 36 pieces, I had 10 more when I ran out of beef filling. My older son loved the beef, my younger preferred the chicken. Then I offered both types to my in-laws, and they loved the beef as well (It's their first time to try steamed buns). I had hubby try the beef, and he said (in his usual unenthusiastic way) it was good. Oh well, he really prefers plain yeast rolls, especially ones made with wheat.

Special thanks goes to my friend Ana for lending me her steamer (sa uulitin!).

If you do not have enough beef fillings for all the dough pieces, you may keep them refrigerated covered with cling wrap and then bake the next morning at 350 F for 12-15 minutes (depending on the size; watch out as it browns) to enjoy plain buns, or roll each piece first on a plate of breadcrumbs to have pandesal.

Posted by Manang at 9/24/2006 09:16:00 PM

Labels: baking, beef, byenan-approved, Filipino, kids-approved, leftover ideas, merienda, siopao, stand-mixer, steamed buns, yeast rolls