Franny's Palate Files: PORK ASADO SIOPAO (SWEET PORK BUNS)

Yesterday was the amazing Game 6, Giants vs Phillies, and I wanted to make some cinnamon rolls for the game. But my mom prodded me to make pork asado siopao instead. This was the first time I've ever made siopao (ala Auntie Lydia's dough recipe), and it was simple and laborious at the same time. Any recipe that calls for dough and filling takes quite a bit of time to make, but a snap to cook. My dough recipe went a little overboard, and my filling recipe was a little short. So, left with extra dough, I made a simple mushroom pizza to save the excess dough.

INGREDIENTS:

DOUGH-

8 cups of shifted, all purpose flour

1 cup of sugar

2 tbsp baking powder

3 envelopes yeast (1 envelope = 1/4 oz.)

1 1/2 salt

4 cups LUKEWARM water (Important - lukewarm water activates yeast)

Wax paper cut into 4x4 inch squares

FILLING-

1 lb. pork shoulder (cut in small strips)

1 1/2 bulb of onion

5-6 cloves of garlic (minced)

1 1/2 tbsp cooking oil

3 tbsp soy sauce

3 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce

2 tbsp cornstach

1 cup granulated sugar or brown sugar

salt & pepper (to taste)

Hard-boiled eggs (halved or quartered by preference)

DOUGH PREP:

- Place 4 cups of lukewarm water into mixing bowl. Lukewarm water will activate yeast. Make sure not to use hot water or it will kill the yeast and the dough from rising. Add yeast and sugar to water. Sift flour, baking powder and salt. Add flour 3/4 of the flour into mixture to bowl. Mix thoroughly until mixture attains wet, doughy consistency. Add leftover flour mixture into bowl.

Luke warm water

Add yeast

Add flour, salt and sugar

- Remove dough mixture into a floured surface and slightly knead dough into a round form. Place slightly kneaded dough into a large bowl, and set aside for 20-30 minutes. Cover bowl with a damp towel. Dough will rise, as picture below.

FILLING PREP:

- In a large pan, heat cooking oil and sautee garlic and onions until onions are translucent. Add chopped up pork shoulder. Add salt and pepper to taste.

-Add 2-3 tbsp of water and simmer pork pieces.

- Add soy sauce, oyster sauce and sugar. Simmer in low heat until fluid is reduced.

- Dilute cornstarch in water and add into pot. Simmer until pork mixture thickens. Sauce should be sweet. Set aside to cool.

- Boil eggs until they harden. Set aside to cool. When cooled, peel and cut into quarters.

FILLING DOUGH and COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

- Take risen dough and punch in the middle to remove excess air in dough.

- Flour kneading surface and knead dough for about 5-7 minutes. Add flour to prevent from sticking. Roll dough into a log, and cut into dough into small balls.

- Take small balls and roll out flat. When flattened take a spoonful of the chilled pork filling and a quartered piece of hard-boiled egg and place in the middle of the flatted dough ball.

- Gather ends of the dough and pull over filling, and pinch corners together, to purse and close dough.

- Place wax paper square over pursed end of dough and set aside on a cookie sheet. Repeat.