Siopao Recipes

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in the water; stir in the sugar and beat in 2 1/2 cups of rice flour to make a soft sponge. Set aside in a warm place to double in bulk, about 40 minutes. Mix in 2 more cups of rice flour and 1/4 cup of shortening and place the dough on a greased work surface; knead in the remaining 1/4 cup of shortening to make a smooth dough. Cut the dough into 15 equal-sized pieces; form each piece into a ball.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir the onion and garlic in the hot oil until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken, soy sauce, 2 teaspoons of sugar, green onion, salt, and pepper. If the mixture is juicy, add cornstarch to thicken.
• Working on a lightly greased work surface, flatten a dough ball into a circle about 4 inches in diameter with the heel of your hand. Place about 1 tablespoon of filling into the center of the dough ball, bring the edges of the dough together at the top, and pinch and twist to seal in the filling. Place each filled dumpling onto waxed paper with the pinched seal at the bottom while you finish the rest of the dumplings.
• Spray a multi-layered bamboo steamer with cooking spray, place the steamer on top of a large saucepan, and pour in water to several inches below the steamer. Bring the water to a boil.
• Working in several batches, place 3 or 4 filled buns into each steamer layer without letting the buns touch each other or the edge of the steamer, cover the steamer, and let the buns steam over medium-low heat until puffy and the dough is springy, about 15 minutes per batch. Serve warm.

Steps:

• Heat milk in a microwave-safe container in a microwave until lukewarm, but not scalding, 15 to 30 seconds. Mix warm milk, vegetable oil, water, and eggs together in a bowl.
• Mix flour, yeast, and salt together in a separate bowl. Stir in milk mixture until fully incorporated. Cover the bowl and let rest for 15 minutes.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, adding flour as needed if too sticky to work with, about 5 minutes. Shape dough into a smooth ball by tucking folded ends under. Place dough ball into a clean bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm area until doubled in size, 1 hour to 90 minutes.
• While dough is rising, prepare filling by placing pork in a bowl with soy sauce, sugar, oyster sauce, cornstarch, and black pepper. Mix well to combine.
• Heat vegetable oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Cook and stir onion, garlic, and star anise in the hot oil for 2 minutes. Add ground pork mixture and cook until browned and crumbly, breaking up any large clumps of meat that may form, 4 to 5 minutes. Pour in water; reduce heat and let simmer, scraping the bottom of the pan occasionally until filling is glazed but not soupy, about 10 minutes. Refrigerate filling until dough is ready.
• Preheat the oven to 100 degrees F (37 degrees C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Portion dough out into golf ball-sized pieces (about 2 inches in diameter). Arrange on the prepared baking pan with 1 to 2 inches of space between them. Flatten dough balls using your hand to 1/4-inch thickness, or slightly larger than the palm of your hand. Put 1 tablespoon filling in the dough centers. Gather edges of dough at the top; twist, and pinch to seal. Replace each bun back on the prepared baking sheet.
• Turn off the oven once it has reached temperature.
• Transfer the baking sheet to the warm oven and let buns rest until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
• Heat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C), leaving buns inside.
• Bake buns until bottoms are lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes.

Steps:

• Mix flour, sugar, salt, and yeast together in a large bowl. Add water and 1/4 cup oil; mix into a dough. Knead until smooth and elastic, at least 10 minutes. Dust with extra flour if necessary.
• Warm up the oven for 1 minute. Turn oven off.
• Oil a large bowl; place dough inside and cover with cheesecloth. Place in the warmed oven until size has doubled, about 1 hour.
• Punch down dough. Keep in the oven until risen, at least 15 minutes more. Knead dough onto a flat work surface and divide into 12 golf-sized balls. Roll out each ball and fill with choice of filling (see footnote for my chicken and pork filling). Gather and twist the edges together to secure the filling.
• Place each siopao on a 3x3-inch piece of wax paper.
• Place siopao in a steamer and steam for 30 minutes.

Steps:

• Mix flour, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl, set aside.
• In another bowl dissolve yeast in luke warm water then add 1 cup of the flour mixture.
• Mix thoroughly.
• Cover with a cloth and let rise 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, dissolve the white sugar in the boiling water.
• Stir well then let cool to luke warm.
• Pour into the yeast mixture, then add the rest of the prepared flour mixture.
• Stir to blend well.
• Grease a large bowl.
• Turn dough out onto a floured board and knead for 3 minutes-you want your dough smooth, not sticky.
• Place ball into bowl, turn once and cover with a damp cloth.
• Let rise 2 hours or until doubled.
• Meanwhile saute the garlic and onions in a small amount of oil in a wok.
• Add meat and stir fry for 1 minute or until meat is no longer pink.
• Add soy sauce, oyster sauce and brown sugar.
• Pour in the dissolved cornstarch and stir fry quickly until meat is glazed well.
• Remove from heat and let cool.
• Punch down dough and knead on a floured board for 3 to 5 minutes.
• Divide dough and roll each half into a 12x2 inch log.
• Cut each into 12 pieces, making 24.
• Roll each piece into a ball using your hands then rolling it flat into a 3 inch diameter circle.
• Dust with flour if needed to prevent sticking.
• If using, place 1 slice of egg into center of dough round, then 1 T.
• of filling with sauce.
• Gather sides of round, pinch together and twist.
• Place pinched side down on parchment paper and place in steamer.
• Repeat until done.
• Cover with a damp cloth and let rise for 1 hour.
• Steam Siopao for 20 minutes.
• You can freeze cooked Siopao, simply re-steam for 10 minutes.