Siopao - Asado made easy > Filipino Recipes | (2024)

BY :Bebs | Published: | Updated: | 113 Comments

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4.83 from 41 votes

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Siopao is a popular Filipino snack. They are steamed buns that are filled with savory-sweet saucy meat dish called Asado or meatballs.Siopao - Asado made easy > Filipino Recipes | (1)

Steamed buns are very popular around Asia although it may be called differently in every country. Filipino Siopao Asado is similar to the Chinese Pork steamed buns 'Char Siu Bao'. Not surprising since it was the Chinese who introduced us this wonderful food.

Back home, Siopao is one of the favorite snacks and the usual choice is Asado or Bola-bola. Asado is a way of cooking meat that has a sticky sauce that is both sweet and salty, itcan either be pork or chicken. Bola-bola, on the other hand, uses ground meat to make meatballs as a filling. I already wrote about Chicken Asado before and you can get the recipe here.

Siopao - Asado made easy > Filipino Recipes | (2)

Siopao is usuallysold in Chinese restaurants but it is also easily found in small stores or establishments or even sidewalk vendors, great on-the-go food.

I remember the first time Armin tried Siopao. It was during a long bus trip coming back from Bantayan Island to Cebu City. We had a shortstop and I was feeling hungry so I went down to look for something to munch. Lucky me, a store was selling some steaming Siopao Asado and I got just one for me because I was was not sure if Arminwould like them. He is usually not a fan of food that is sweet and salty. But after I convinced him to try it, I ended up going down again to get two more because he liked them...too much I think! Peace hon! 😉

Siopao - Asado made easy > Filipino Recipes | (3)

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Siopao - Asado made easy > Filipino Recipes | (4)

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Siopao -Asado (Steamed buns with chicken filling)

4.83 from 41 votes

Try this easy recipe for Siopao - Asado (Steamed buns with chicken Asado filling). It also includes a video for the instructions.

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup warm water
  • ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 pouch active dry yeast - about 1 Tbsp
  • 2 ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ tablespoon baking powder
  • 3 tablespoons shortening or vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
  • Chicken Asado Filling

Instructions

  • In a bowl, mix together the warm water, 1 Tbsp of sugar and yeast. Let stand for 5 minutes.

  • In a big bowl, combine the flour, rest of sugar and baking powder. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients and the 3 Tbsp shortening. Mix well until a dough forms.

  • Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Coat the dough with oil and place in a bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for an hour or until it doubled in size.

  • Punch the dough down and turn it out onto a floured surface. Roll into a log and divide into 8-10 equal portions.

  • Form one into a ball and then using hand of rolling pin flatten it into about 4-5 inch circle leaving a small bulge in the middle. Scoop a tablespoon of filling and place it in the middle. Gather the ends towards the middle from one side until you reach the other end closing the filling in. Pinch and twist to seal the ends together o top. Repeat with the remaining dough balls. Let them rest for 5-10 minutes.

  • Before steaming, put a piece of parchment or wax paper at the bottom of each bun. Place the buns in the steamer leaving at least an each apart as they will rise and spread while steaming. Steam for 15 minutes. Turn off the steamer or remove from heat and let it stay closed for 5 minutes before removing the cover.

  • Let the buns cool a bit before serving.

Notes

You may also use instant yeast and add it directly to the flour or dough without the need of proofing it first.

Nutrition

Calories: 171kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 3gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 2mgPotassium: 94mgFiber: 0gSugar: 5gCalcium: 31mgIron: 1.5mg

Have you tried this recipe?Mention @foxyfolksy or tag #FoxyFolksyRecipes!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

    What do you think?

  1. Aurora says

    Why are there two different bun recipe one for asado and one for bola bola. Can I use just one recipe. Which one is better. I tried your bola bola recipe since I doubled the recipe I did put the other half in the fridge after the first rise and divided the dough into two but when I steamed it, it collapsed since it has risen more than the first batch. How do I resolved this?

    Reply

    • Bebs says

      Try to reduce the yeast and then just let the first batch rise longer.

      Reply

  2. Ditha says

    Siopao - Asado made easy > Filipino Recipes | (17)
    This recipe is very good its just right consistency not too sweet or not too salty i would make this again.

    Reply

  3. Theresa says

    Siopao - Asado made easy > Filipino Recipes | (18)
    Always my favorite recipe. Been using this for years! Really like a taste of home.

    Reply

  4. Lauren says

    I don’t know what’s wrong, but when it cools down, it became flat🫣 what could be the problem?

    Reply

    • Bebs says

      Hi Lauren, it could be that the dough rise too much and deflated after cooking. You can try using lesser yeast and use a gentle simmer instead of a rolling boil for the steam.

      Reply

  5. Precy Barbiran says

    Siopao - Asado made easy > Filipino Recipes | (19)
    All your recipes, I rate them 5 stars!

    Reply

    • Bebs says

      Aaaaw...that is so nice of you to say.

      Reply

  6. Faith says

    made this evening with pork asado..turned out pretty well though my wrapping is not so tidy! Thank you!

    Reply

  7. Rob says

    That's right, all these buns are derived from China, including the steamed buns in Korea, Japan & SE Asia. If you look at the word "Siopao", it sounds & looks a lot like "Siu bao", as in Char Siu Bao. This isn't the first time someone interpreted the spelling of a word from it's original nation/culture somewhat inaccurately & made it their own. The Japanese dumplings, "gyoza", sounds a lot like the Chinese "jiaozi", which is where it originated. "Boondocks" in the United States is a word that originated from Tagalog "bundók". And so on & so forth for many other thousands of words in the world throughout human history. Thank you for this recipe though, I want to make my own, because buying them in the store is expensive. I prefer the asado bbq (char siu) version rather than the vegetable/pork. I have also been watching videos of many Chinese cooks who know the art of pinching the tops of the steamed bao into a spiral.
    ~ Rob 12/14/2021

    Reply

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Siopao - Asado made easy > Filipino Recipes | (2024)

FAQs

What is asado made of in siopao? ›

The siopao asado filling is made of braised and stewed pork shoulder, hoisin, oyster sauce, and other ingredients, whereas char siu bao is made from roasted pork chopped into a thick red sauce of five-spice, sesame oil, and other ingredients.

What are the two types of siopao? ›

The most common fillings are pork asado (indigenized braised version of the Cantonese char siu) and bola-bola (literally "meatball", a combination of pork, chicken, beef, shrimp or salted duck egg).

What is siopao made of in Philippines? ›

Fluffy dough and savory filling

The classic variant siopao “asado” often uses grilled belly of pork spread with honey. Siopao “bola-bola” contains boiled minced pork. For “sausage” fillings, hot-spicy sausages like chorizo are needed. And in the chicken version, of course, the savory forcemeat is based on chicken.

What is the flavor of siopao? ›

In the Philippines, siopao usually comes in two flavors—asado and bola-bola. Asado siopao is filled with diced meat—pork or beef—cooked in soy sauce and seasoned with salt and sugar. Bola-bola siopao, on the other hand, is filled with finely ground meat—again either pork or beef—mixed with egg and flour.

How is asado made? ›

The meat, often a side of ribs, is skewered on a metal frame called an asador and is roasted by placing it next to a slow-burning fire. Gauchos favored cooking asado with the wood of the quebracho tree because it smokes very little. Asado, accompanied by mate, formed the basis of the gaucho diet.

What does asado include? ›

Most of the time, the asado is made from vacuno (beef). It is the most consumed meat in South America. The cordero (lamb), the cerdo (pork), or the oveja (mutton) are also alternatives, rarer, but still appreciated. The asado has several features which differ from the barbecues Europeans are used to.

What does siopao mean in Filipino? ›

Siopao - literally meaning “steamed buns”, is a famous Filipino snack.

What is the English name of siopao? ›

Siopao or hot buns is a type of dumpling with a sweet pork filling.

What do you call siopao in English? ›

Hong Kong Noodles & Dimsum House - Official - Siopao (simplified Chinese: 烧包; traditional Chinese: 燒包; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: sio-pau), literally meaning "steamed bun", is the Philippine version of the Cantonese steamed bun called cha siu bao.

What is the lifespan of siopao? ›

12 hours in the hot Philippines weather if left unrefrigerated and if you want optimum flavor. Otherwise refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Is siopao a healthy food? ›

Siopao can be a satisfying and flavorful snack or meal, but it's important to note that it is typically steamed and not fried, which can make it a healthier option compared to other types of buns or pastries. However, the nutritional content can vary based on the filling and the specific ingredients used in the dough.

What are other names for siopao? ›

Showing up as siopao in the Philippines, salapao in Thailand, manapua in Hawaii, and under many other names elsewhere, Chinese steamed buns have traveled far and wide to places touched by the cuisines of China, crossing cultures and languages. They've done so with ease, too, because what's not to like?

What is pork asado made of? ›

Asado de puerco is a Mexican pork stew made with pork shoulder, chile peppers, and spices. The guajillo and ancho chile peppers add smoky, complex notes.

Is chunky asado siopao pork? ›

Slow-Roasted, Hong Kong-Style Asado Sarap pork and flavorful sauce in hot steamed bun Fresh-out-of-steamer goodness!

Why was asado made? ›

Spanish colonizers introduced asado to the Argentine people in the 16th century. The conquistadors brought premium cattle beef to Argentina's fertile Pampas plains and taught Argentinians their innovative method of preparing this new food source. Asado quickly entwined itself with local culture.

How is Argentina asado made? ›

At its core, asado is meat grilled in its purest form. Traditionally, the fire used to cook the meat is made with a combination of red-hot coals and firewood, though the exact type of wood may vary from region to region.

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