From The Philippines: Siopao (Steamed Buns)

A popular staple in the Philippines, Siopao is the
ultimate on-the-go handheld snack. Often stuffed with a quartered boiled egg, savory meats or seafood – they can either be
enjoyed steamed or baked. They look so comforting, don’t they?

Also you’ll often hear lots of slurping at baseball games in the Philippines because the Filipinos love their yakisoba noodles.

INGREDIENTS

FILLING:

· 
Canola oil

· 
5 pounds lean pork shoulder,
trimmed and diced small

· 
4 ounces garlic (about 1 clove)

· 
1 pound onions, diced small

· 
2 cups soy sauce

· 
2 tablespoons Chinese five-spice powder

· 
2 bay leaves

· 
2 ounces cornstarch (about 1/2 cup)

DOUGH:

· 
2 1/2 pounds flour (about 9 cups)

· 
7 1/2 ounces sugar (1 cup plus 2
tablespoons)

· 
0.29 ounces  yeast (about 2 teaspoons)

· 
0.22 ounces baking powder (about 1 1/2
teaspoons)

· 
125 milliliters cream (about 1/2 cup)

· 
12 hard-boiled eggs,
peeled and quartered

· 
Special equipment: baking scale

Directions

For the filling: Add some oil to a large sauce pan, and sear the pork shoulder in batches. When seared, remove the pork from the pan and
reserve. Sweat the onions and garlic
in the same pan. Then add the soy sauce,
five-spice powder and bay leaves,
then return the pork shoulder to the pan. Cover with a lid and cook low and
slow until the pork is tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

 

When the meat is ready, add the cornstarch
to thicken the pork mixture. Allow the mixture to cool.

For the dough:
Combine the flour, sugar,
yeast and baking powder in a large bowl. Add 18 ounces (2 1/4 cups) cold water
and the cream to the dry ingredients. Knead
the mixture until it becomes a dough. Portion the dough into 2-ounce balls,
then flatten and fill each ball with 1 ounce of the pork filling and a quarter
of an egg. Then roll into a bun and proof
the siopao for about 1 hour.

Steam the buns and serve.

(Recipe from chef Dale Talde)