Siopao Asado with Nenette!

Today was my tutorial with Nenette to learn how to make Siopao Asado, steamed pork buns from scratch. Honestly, if you have never tried one of these, they are well worth the effort.  The recipe is not difficult, but it does take time to prepare your filling, allow your yeast dough to rise, and roll and fill your buns.  A delicious labour of love!

2 1/2 cups of warm water

2 1/2 tablespoons of sugar

1 pkg active dry yeast

Stir the yeast and sugar into the warm water and set aside for about 10 minutes or until frothy (if the mixture does not froth, your yeast may be old and you should start over with some fresh yeast)

In a large bowl mix:

5 cups of all purpose flour

1 1/4 tablespoons baking powder

1/2 cup sugar and

cut in 6 tablespoons of vegetable shortening; set ingredients aside.

Once the yeast mixture is frothy, add to the dry ingredients; stir to combine.

Tip the dough onto a floured surface and knead until it is smooth and elastic.

Place the dough back into your mixing bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and set in a warm spot to rise for about one hour.

While your dough is rising, prepare your filling. 

In some shortening or oil, saute 1 medium onion, diced and 4 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped with 2 lbs of shredded cooked pork (or chicken).

Add about half a cup of water (more if the mixture becomes dry, 4 tablespoon each soy sauce and sugar, 1 tablespoon of hoisin sauce and 3 tablespoons of oyster sauce.

Dissolve 2 tablespoons of cornstarch in a 1/4 cup of water and add to the pan stirring until heated through and thickened.  Taste and add more of whatever you feel it is missing.  Allow filling to cool before filling your buns.

Once the dough is about double in size, remove the plastic wrap, tip the dough out of the bowl and knead again to form a long roll; cut in pieces according to how big or small you want your bao to be-- ours were about the size of a largeish mandarin orange.

Roll the dough into a flat circle and top with a couple tablespoons of your filling and half a hard boiled egg (optional but delicious!).  Pull the dough up around the filing and pinch to close.  Turn dough onto the pinched end and place on a circle of parchment paper.  Cover with a damp tea towel until ready to steam.

Steam for 15 to 20 minutes and place on wire rack to cool slightly.

Eat warm from the steamer before everyone gets home and they all disappear!  Thank-you Nenette!