Korpino Smoky Pork Siopao
Although it has a Filipino name, Korpino Smoky Pork Siopao is the epitome of Asian Pride and a Pacific Island bonus. Makes 8-12 for one person.
Equipment
- Steamer
- Wax paper (cut into individual pieces)
Ingredients
Yeast Activation
- 1 packet active dry yeast
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 Tbs sugar
- 1 cup warm water 180° (too hot will kill the yeast)
Bao Dough
- 2½ cups bleached cake flour
- 5 Tbs granulated white sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 Tbs milk powder
- 1½ Tbs pork fat cooled to room temp
Pork Filling
- pork butt 1½-2 hour per pound cook time
- 5 cloves garlic
- Alaea Sea Salt medium grains 1 tsp less than number of pounds (ex. 6 pounds pork butt use 5 tsp salt)
- ½ cup prepared ripe kimchi chopped
Dipping Sauce
- 1 cup water
- 1½ Tbs starch
- ⅓ cup granulated white sugar
- 1 Tbs gochujang add more if you like spicy
- 1 Tbs vinegar
- 2 tsp patis
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 Tbs pork fat
Instructions
Pork Filling
- Spread salt on room temperature pork butt.
- Slow cook salted pork butt and garlic cloves to 195°F-200°F internal temperature. For smoking, use hickory chips at 250°F.
- Allow 15 minutes rest time when finished cooking then shred. Do not discard pork fat.
Yeast Activation
- In a mixing bowl, combine the yeast, warm water, sugar, and salt. Mix until the yeast is dissolved. The yeast is activated when it starts to bubble.
Bao Dough
- In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients, milk powder, sugar and salt. Form a well in the center of the ingredients.
- Slowly pour a third of activated yeast, at a time, with dry ingredients in the center of the well and mix. Mix well for 10 minutes.
- Allow dough to rest for 5 minutes.
- Add pork fat, mix for 5 minutes.
- Form a mound, cover and rest until it doubles in size (1½ to 2 hours).
- Poke hole in center of dough to release gas, dough should not deflate.
- On a floured surface, continue releasing the gas by kneading the dough.
- Roll the dough to stretch, and cut into equal parts. 8 for big boa, 10 or 12 for smaller size baos.
- Cover cut pieces with plastic wrap to keep from drying out.
- Roll out a pieces in a circle shape, be sure to leave a little thickness in the center.
- With floured hands, place dough in one hand add pork and kimchi filling and pinch the sides closed and place on a wax paper seam side down in a steamer tray. Seam side up if you created a fancy seam.
Steam
- Boil water, place trays on and steam for 12-15 minutes, depending on size.
Dipping sauce
- In a sauce pan, bring water, pork fat and garlic to a boil then add starch. Whisk until thickened. Reduce heat to low.
- Add gochujang, patis and vinegar. Mix well. Remove from heat, serve warm.
Notes
Best flavor is smoked, but this can be done in a crock pot.
Skip, Yeast Activation, if using Instant/Rapid Rise Yeast. Just add instant/rapid rise yeast with dry ingredients.
A standing mixer with a dough attachment can be used but the amount of dough is not too much to mix by hand.
Kneading releases gases and creates gluten, be sure to thoroughly knead but not over knead your dough.
To achieve the correct dough consistency, slowly add liquids in intervals. Depending on your accuracy when measuring out flour, amount of liquid can vary. (ex. the right consistency, might be less than a cup of water).
It is easier to achieve the right dough consistency when adding water versus trying to adjust by adding flour.