Filipino Steamed Buns, "Siopao"

Last Friday, I made some Filipino steamed buns called siopao. I made two different kinds but on this post I will share about the siopao filled with meat and boiled eggs. Siopaos are made of dough bread, then you fill it inside with either meat or sweet fillings. It is similar to Chinese steamed buns. Instead of baking the bread in the oven, you cook it by steaming.

I was supposed to make a Pork Asado siopao but I mistakenly grab the frozen ground beef to thaw instead of the ground pork. So it became Beef Asado! I added some cut boiled eggs for the filling, too. Asado here is different from the Argentinian barbecue style, Filipino asado is a term we used for cooking our meat sweet and salty style. The meat is cooked with a mixture of oyster, soy, and hoisin sauces added with sugar and salt to taste. And what comes out is the asado meat filling, a combination of a little sweetness and saltiness. Oops, I'm drooling now. 

So basically you flatten the dough you made after proofing it. Then you put a spoonful or more of the asado filling and then the sliced egg and then seal the bun. Once all the buns are made you steam it for at least 30 minutes.

You can eat the steamed buns warm or cold. I prefer to eat it warm with catsup. You can have it for snacks or even for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It actually fills you up. It is just like eating bread and meat but all in one. 

I made more buns than we can consume for one time so I freeze the others. If I need to eat it, I will just put it in the microwave, cover it in wet paper towel and it will be warm. Or I can steam it again. It will taste like freshly made.

My kiddos loved it! So it was worth all the muscle exercise I did while kneading the dough, lol. But hubby still finds it exotic. Good for me, I will have more to eat, lol. If you like to make siopao, just google it and a lot of other great bloggers have great recipes for it. 

The siopao with the beef asado and boiled egg filling.

Ginataang Hipon (Shrimp with Coconut Milk)

Craving Siomai Today

I was watching TFC (The Filipino Channel) the other day and the show I was watching was showing different kinds of Chinese foods. One of my favorite foods when I was still in the Philippines was shown, the siomai. I haven't cooked siomai in a while now. Just couldn't find the time and I am getting lazy these days especially with two kids, lol! But after the show I started craving siomai. I remember way back in the Philippines that I could eat siomai nonstop (though I need to stop because it's expensive, lol, I can't afford to buy more). I'm just so glad that being away from the Philippines made me independent that I was able to try to make siomai by myself here in the US. With research and cooking channels to watch, I was able to experiment on making it and found a way to make my own recipe.

Anyway, after watching that show, I kept dreaming about siomai, but I couldn't make it because I don't have ground pork at home and our shopping day will still be on Tuesday. I was relieved that yesterday my hubby had to pass by Walmart to get some items that I was able to let him get some ground pork, too. Thank goodness! So today, I was able to make siomai and satisfy my cravings. I'll be good for a few months now. I made like 36 pieces today. My hubby likes siomai, too, so I bet we will eat these all up tonight.

If you guys are craving siomai, too, check my other post for the SIOMAI recipe .

Pinoy Bistek

I haven't had bistek in a long time. Bistek is the Filipino beef steak version. These are thinly sliced beef marinated in soy sauce and kalamansi or vinegar, and then cooked and garnished with sauteed onion rings. Since I haven't eaten it in a long time since I left the Philippines, I tried to cook it. Actually, maybe a year or two ago I tried cooking it but it didn't come out so well. I guess, I marinated it too long that it was too sour or maybe I just put too much kalamansi. Well, I guess you learn along the way. I was still learning how to cook then, haha. Anyway, I tried making it again yesterday and it came out pretty well. My husband said it was perfect. Well, I guess because he hasn't tried other Bistek recipes, haha!So he can't really compare it. But I am also a hard critic of myself and this time I know it did come out good. I used a recipe I found online. I forgot the site but I'm gonna tell you about it next time because it's too late already to do research again, haha. Here is the photo of my very own Bistek.

SIOMAI OR STEAMED PORK DUMPLINGS

Siomai is a steamed dumpling filled with either ground pork, ground beef, or shrimp and wrapped in wonton wrapper. In the Philippines, it usually dipped in soy sauce with calamansi or calamondin with oily garlicky or ginger flavor.

I love siomai. It is one of my favorite appetizers. I never get tired of eating it. When I came here in the US, this is one of the foods that I missed from the Philippines. So I researched on some recipes and get some ideas how it was made. I vary the ingredients according to my taste.

Most recipes use sesame oil to be mix in the filling, but since I'm not such a fan for sesame oil, I omitted it. But if you like it, you can add it to the ingredients.

ATSARANG PAPAYA

INGREDIENTS:
3-4 cups grated papaya
1/4 cup salt
Vinegar
Water
Brown sugar
Red or green bell pepper, julienne
Carrots, cut into flowers or julienne
Onion, julienne
Garlic, julienne
Ginger, julienne
Salt to taste

PROCEDURE:

Put salt on the grated papaya and toss it. Let it stand for about 30 minutes to an hour.

Afterward, rinse the papaya with water and drain.
Put the washed papaya on a cheesecloth and squeeze all the liquid from it.

Meanwhile, on a big pot, put the vinegar and water.
Let it boil and then put the sugar and salt. Dissolve the sugar well. Continue boiling for at least 5 minutes.

Then put the onions, garlic, ginger, bell pepper, and carrots. Simmer for two minutes.

Lastly, add the grated papaya. Mix it well with the other ingredients. Simmer for 3-5 minutes.
Turn off the stove and let it cool down before putting it in a container.

TERM:

julienne- cutting the vegetables (ex: bell pepper) into thin, long strips

You can use a grater for the papaya or if you have a food processor it will be faster.

       

Pinsec Frito or Fried Wonton

I remember when I was in high school in the Philippines, that whenever I don't have a class, I stayed at my cousin's boarding house. And sometimes my cousin, Ramel, will treat me and some of his friends to eat pinsec and pizza. The first time I had the pinsec, I already loved the taste especially when you dip it into a sweet and sour sauce. It almost has the same taste as lumpia or egg rolls (if you make the same filling and just wrap it like a lumpia), although the way you wrap the filling is different. Pinsec is wrapped in a small square sized wrapper and will look like a triangle shape after it's done.

So when I came here in the US, I missed eating pinsec, so I tried to look around for some recipes and then vary the ingredients according to my taste. Here is my recipe for pinsec:

CASSAVA CAKE RECIPE

Way back in my high school days, I used to buy Cassava Pudding for recess at the Night Class canteen in NOHS. It is one of my favorites. Living here in the US made me miss eating my favorite foods at home. So I have to find ways to be able to make it. So I tried to experiment and later came up with a recipe that tickles my taste buds, I mean that I like. Cassava Cake is mainly made of grated cassava, milk, sugar, and coconut milk. So here it is:





Ingredients:
2 LBS. grated cassava
1 can coconut milk (minus 6 tbsp. for the topping)
1 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1/4 cup butter
1 can evaporated milk
1 can condensed milk (minus 6 tbsp for the topping)
1 tsp vanilla

FOR TOPPING:

6 tbsp coconut milk
6 tbsp condensed milk
2 egg yolks

PROCEDURE:
1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix all the ingredients (except the topping ingredients) in a bowl.
3. After it is mixed well,put it in a greased baking pan.
4. Bake it in the oven for about 35-45 minutes or until the mixtures dries.
5. On the other hand, mix all the topping ingredients,well. After the cassava is done in the oven, pour the topping and bake it for another 25 minutes or until the topping turns golden brown.
6. Take it out from the oven,let it cool down a little and ready to serve. Eat, eat, eat!!!:)

 For those who are in the US and do not have fresh coconut milk, you can buy coconut milk in cans.