Siopao Asado/Steamed Dumpling/Hot Buns

This snack is a favorite for most Filipinos.  Thanks to panlasangpinoy, this recipe is as close to the real siopao we get from chinese/filipino restaurants. There are a few varieties of the fillings.  What I have here is called the Asado.  I think the dough can improve with a little tweaking, but I still need more experience in the kitchen to know what is missing.  I also need more practice in sealing the dough.  You can see a better picture and a video of the technique at the link above.   So far, my hubby (an American) says he found a new favorite Filipino dish with this as well.  He ate it for snacks and asked to have it again for lunch and dinner.

Ingredients:

Dough:
2 cups warm water
2 ½ tbsp sugar (added to yeast mixture)
½ cup sugar (added to the flour mixture)
1 pouch dry yeast
5 cups all purpose flour
1 ¼ tbsp baking powder
6 tbsp shortening

Asado Filling:
2 lbs pork, chopped into small pieces
3 tbsp lard or shortening
2 tbsp garlic, minced
1 large onion, minced
2 tbsp cornstarch, diluted in 1/4 cup water
4 tbsp soy sauce
4 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp hoisin sauce

Cooking procedure:

1. Cook the Asado filling
1.1 Heat the shortening in a pan
1.2 Saute the garlic and onions
1.3 Put-in the pork and cook until the color of the outer part turns light brown
1.4 Add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, and sugar then mix well. Simmer for
40 minutes
1.5 Put in the corn starch (diluted in water) and mix until the texture of the sauce becomes
thick then set aside

2. Make the dough
2.1 Place warm water in a bowl then add the yeast and sugar and mix well.
Leave the mixture for 10 to 15 minutes
2.2 In a mixing bowl, put-in the flour, baking powder, shortening (or lard), and the yeast-
sugar-water mixture then mix well (bubbles should have formed on top by then).
2.3 Knead the combined mixture until the texture of the dough becomes fine. Let the dough
rise by setting it aside for at least an hour (place in the mixing bowl and cover the top ).
2.4 Knead the dough again then cut into individual slices (this will be the dough per
individual siopao).
3. Flatten the dough until a round shape is formed using a rolling pin.
4. Put the asado filling on the middle of the flattened dough and wrap. (refer to the video for the technique if interested)
5. Place the siopao in a steamer and steam for 15 minutes.
6. Serve hot. Share and enjoy!