How to Make Siopao Bola-Bola

5 from 1 vote

Siopao Bola-Bola is a soft, steamed bun filled with a savory mixture of seasoned ground pork, hard-boiled egg, and Chinese sausage, offering a delicious and hearty Filipino snack.

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Course: Dimsum Recipe

Cuisine: Chinese/Filipino

Keyword: bola bola siopao, dimsum, siopao bola-bola

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 330kcal

Author: Manny

Ingredients

For the siopao dough:

2 tsp. dry active yeast
4 cups flour
3 Tbsp. shortening or lard
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups warm water
1/4 tsp. salt

For the bola-bola filling:

1/2 kilo ground pork
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. salt adjust if nessesary
2 Tbsp. sesame seed oil
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 pieces Chinese sausage sliced into 1/4-inch thick pieces
2 pcs hard-boiled eggs or salted duck eggs cut each lengthwise into 4 pieces

Instructions

How to make the dough:

Soften yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in lukewarm water. Set aside for from 10 to 15 minutes.
Mix together sugar, salt, and oil in a bowl. Add softened yeast. Add half of the flour and mix well.
Add remaining flour and continue mixing till well blended; knead on floured board until smooth.
Shape the dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl. Grease surface of dough.
Cover with wet cloth and let rise for from 30 to 40 minutes in a warm place.
Punch down dough, divide it into 90 grams pieces (or just divide it into 8 pieces), form into balls and let them rise again for 30 minutes.

How to make siopao bola-bola:

Mix first 5 ingredients (pork, soy sauce, salt, sesame seed oil and flour). Divide into 8 pieces and form into balls.
Place one ball in the middle of a round flattened 90 grams siopao dough piece, add 2 slices of sausage and a slice of egg.
Wrap the filling (similar to wrapping a siomai filling with wanton wrapper) and seal the dough by twisting the top and shape into small balls.
Place a piece of clean wax paper at the bottom of the balls to prevent them from sticking to the steamer.
Let the balls rise for from 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until double in bulk.
Steam in bamboo steamer over rapidly boiling water for 20 minutes. Enjoy hot with your favorite hot sauce.

Notes

Cooking Tips:

Activate the Yeast Right

Activating the yeast properly is one key to a light and airy bun. Mix it in lukewarm water and sugar, and let the mixture stand for 10-15 minutes until it becomes frothy. If the yeast doesn't seem to bubble, either your yeast is old or your water is too hot or too cold to create a good rise.

Knead Dough Properly

Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic. It will give a soft airy texture. Don't add too much flour if the dough is too sticky. Adding more than the required amount of flour will make the buns heavy. The gluten develops properly within the dough through proper kneading, which in turn provides this dough with its structure and chewiness.

Steam Over Rapidly Boiling Water

Let the water boil rapidly before putting your buns in the steamer. This way, perfectly steamed buns will be ready for you. This ensures that the buns would cook perfectly and rise well without getting soggy at the bottom. Lifting the lid too often can help to avoid the steam inside the steamer, and the siopao needs sufficient time to be cooked through and perfectly steamed.