Siopao asado: water dough and pork filling

Filipino asado siopao

The atlas places siopao in the Philippines as a steamed filled bread, with pork asado and bola-bola as distinct fillings. The A80 source, Bebs’s Foxy Folksy recipe, likewise separates saucy asado from meatball-style bola-bola and describes asado made with pork or chicken. This version pairs its water-based bun dough with the pork shoulder asado from Lalaine Manalo’s Kawaling Pinoy recipe; it does not turn the filling into bola-bola.

The dough source and filling source contribute separate, explicit methods. Foxy Folksy provides the dough, shaping and steaming route; Kawaling Pinoy supplies the pork, braising liquid and sauce. The mixture is a documented home adaptation, not a claim that either author published this exact combination.

Braise and thicken the pork

Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a pot over medium heat. Add 1 small chopped onion and 2 minced garlic cloves; cook until softened. Add 1 pound pork butt or shoulder in large chunks and turn until lightly browned.

Add 2 cups water, ⅓ cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, 3 tablespoons sugar and 2 whole star anise. Stir, bring to a boil and skim the foam. Cover and reduce the heat to a simmer for about 1 hour, until the pork is fork-tender. Add water in ½-cup portions as needed to keep about 1½ cups liquid in the pot.

Check the center of the pork with a food thermometer: whole pork cuts need at least 145°F (62.8°C), followed by a 3-minute rest. Shred the rested meat. Reserve about 1 cup braising liquid. Mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with about ¼ cup water; add half the slurry to the pork and simmer 1–2 minutes until thick. Boil the remaining slurry with the reserved liquid for 2–3 minutes to make the sauce. Cool the filling and sauce in shallow containers. If not assembling promptly, refrigerate within 2 hours, or within 1 hour above 90°F (32°C).

Mix and proof the water dough

This version uses Bebs’s Foxy Folksy water-based dough rather than the milk dough from the earlier Kawaling Pinoy version. Stir sugar and active dry yeast into warm water and leave for five minutes. Combine flour, remaining sugar and baking powder separately; add the yeast mixture and shortening or vegetable oil, then knead about five minutes until smooth and elastic. The warm-water temperature is not specified, so none is supplied here.

Coat the dough with a teaspoon of oil, cover and let it rise for about an hour or until doubled. Punch it down and divide into eight to ten pieces. The simple water dough is a different recipe formulation, not a shortened version of the milk dough: the flour, liquid, yeast, sugar, fat and proof schedule all follow the A80 source. Its finishing proof is only the source-stated five to ten minutes after filling and sealing.

A shaped siopao should be sealed around its filling without stretching the edges too thin. The source rolls each portion into a four-to-five-inch circle and leaves a slight central bulge, then places each bun on parchment. The seam is pinched closed before the short covered rest. Keep the source's dough formula and sequence together; adding the milk formula's ingredients or proof times would make a third, unsupported method.

Fill, seal and steam

Roll each dough portion into a 4–5-inch circle, leaving the centre slightly thicker. Put about a tablespoon of cooled pork filling in the middle, gather the edges and pinch them closed. Set each bun on parchment and cover for the source's 5–10-minute rest.

Place the buns at least an inch apart in the steamer and steam for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the lid closed for five minutes before uncovering. These are the A80 dough source's times. Because the pork was cooked and cooled before assembly, check the centre of representative buns with a thin-tip thermometer and continue steaming until the filling reaches 165°F (73.9°C). Serve the sauce on the side.

Food handling and allergies

Keep raw pork and its utensils separate from ready-to-eat foods. Clean hands, surfaces and tools after handling it. Do not taste raw flour or dough; FDA advises cooking flour foods thoroughly.

Check the pork shoulder at the centre: whole pork cuts need 145°F (62.8°C) and at least a three-minute rest before shredding. Cool the thickened filling and sauce in shallow containers and refrigerate them within two hours, or within one hour above 90°F (32°C), if they will not be used promptly. Keep the refrigerator at or below 40°F (4°C).

After the cooked filling is enclosed in dough, steam the buns and check the centre of representative buns. Reheat the previously cooked pork filling to 165°F (73.9°C); the 15-minute steaming time is an estimate, not a substitute for the thermometer check. Refrigerate filling and sauce as stated; no maximum storage duration is given here.

This version contains wheat, soy and oyster; the dough uses wheat flour and the filling uses soy and oyster sauces. The water-based dough contains no milk. Tell diners about the listed allergens and avoid cross-contact.