Recipe: Bicol's Toasted Siopao

MANILA, Philippines — Bicolanos are very proud of their local cuisine, mainly because it’s made up of very flavorful dishes that are uniquely its own.

Bicolano dishes make use of ingredients that are bountiful in the region, such as gabi (taro) leaves, gata (coconut milk and cream) and sili (chilies). The local flavors of the Bicol region —Albay, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Sorsogon and Masbate — include such original delicacies as Toasted Siopao.

Toasted Siopao is basically pork asado siopao filling wrapped in a siopao dough but, instead of being steamed like the regular siopao, it is baked in the oven until the surface is golden brown. With the asado filling comes a slice or two of boiled chicken egg. Fresh out of the oven, Toasted Siopao has a simply marvelous aroma and the dough is soft and delicious.

This Bicolano treat has invaded Metro Manila in recent years, as more and more bakeries, both local and those originating from Bicol, start selling it. What makes it such a big hit is that it is such a fresh and new idea to Metro Manilans and yet its taste is very familiar. It’s also reasonably priced yet so filling that a piece or two would suffice as a merienda or even light meal.

But you can make your own Toasted Siopao.

In its recent Business Opportunity Series, the San Miguel Pure Foods Culinary Center offered a Baked Foodie Goodies baking demo and hands-on class that taught the participants how to make Toasted Siopao, among others.

The recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

For the pork asado filling:

1/2 kg. Monterey Pork Liempo or Pork Kasim, diced

1 cup water

1 Tbsp. chopped garlic

1 tsp. iodized fine salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/4 cup Hoisin sauce

2 pcs. star anise

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

6 Tbsps. water

PROCEDURE:

1. Boil pork with chopped garlic, salt, pepper, Hoisin sauce and star anise in 1 cup water until tender.

2. Dissolve brown sugar and cornstarch in 6 Tbsps. water. Add to pork mixture and continue boiling until thick.

3. Remove from heat and let cool.

4. Refrigerate mixture until ready to use.

 Makes 4-2/3 cups.

For the toasted siopao dough:

870 grams Emperor Bread Flour

530 grams Queen Third Class Flour

24 grams Bake Best Instant Yeast

2 grams Bake Best Dough Improver

64 grams milk powder

428 grams sugar

18 grams iodized fine salt

1 bar Magnolia Gold Butter (225 grams)

1 Magnolia Brown Egg

1 Magnolia Brown Egg, yolk only

16 grams vanilla

600 grams water

1 recipe pork asado filling

eggs, boiled and sliced

1 Tbsp. Magnolia Purefresh Natural Cow’s Milk

1 egg

PROCEDURE:

1. Combine bread four, third class flour, yeast, dough improver, milk powder, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl.

2. Blend in one-third of the butter, egg, egg yolk and vanilla.

3. Add water gradually.

4. Slightly knead mixture.

5. Add remaining butter and continue kneading until dough is smooth and elastic.

6. Ferment dough for 30 minutes. If possible, pass through a dough roller to make it come out smoother.

7. Cut dough into 35-gram pieces. Form into balls and rest for 15 minutes.

8. With oil-free hands, work on the dough balls one at a time. Flatten dough on your palm. Fill each dough with 15 grams or 1/2 Tbsp. asado filling and a slice or two of boiled egg. Gather up edges and pinch to seal. Place on cut up wax paper lining with the sealing point either on top or facing the wax paper lining. Proof dough for 45 minutes on baking sheet. Make sure there are enough spaces in between.

9. In a small bowl, whisk together milk and egg to make a milkwash.

10.   Brush siopao dough with milkwash, and bake in preheated 350?F oven for 13 to 15 minutes. (*Preheat oven 15 minutes before baking time.)

Makes 74 pieces.