Cheater's Siopao Bola Bola

Cheater's Siopao Bola-Bola is easy to make using refrigerated biscuits, meatballs, and quail eggs. These steamed buns are fluffy and delicious and take under 30 minutes to prepare.

Who doesn't love a hearty piece of siopao smothered in a sweet and savory brown sauce? Left to my own devices, I'll have these steamed meat buns for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and all the snacks in between!

But as deep as my love for them is, I'm not too fond of their labor. Making the dough, the filling, and the sauce all translate to a good day's hard work, not one I am willing to tackle. My solution? Refrigerated biscuits, frozen, fully-cooked meatballs, and canned boiled quail eggs! In thirty minutes tops, I can have a dozen or so stored siopao bola-bola in the freezer to zap in the microwave when the craving hits.

Ingredient notes

Of course, nothing beats traditional siopao, and if you have a good afternoon to spare, I have a Siopao Asado recipe you can try. But if you're looking for a quick fix, this cheater's siopao bola-bola shortcut method is the perfect answer. The refrigerated biscuits steam into soft and pillowy buns in a tenth of the time it takes to make yeast dough from scratch.

Filling variations

I use frozen pre-cooked meatballs and hard-boiled quail eggs from the can to keep the quick and easy theme but feel free to experiment with your favorite fillings and make the steamed buns extra special. Below are a few suggestions.

• shredded adobo chicken
• shredded pork asado (follow my pork spareribs macao-style recipe; swap pork butt for the spare ribs and thicken the sauce with cornstarch slurry)
• chopped Chinese BBQ/char sui pork
• custard, ube halaya, or sweetened red bean paste
• Peking duck slices with hoisin sauce

Steamed bun sauce

1. Combine 1 cup water, ¼ cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon oil, and salt to taste in saucepan. Stir until well-blended.
2. Bring to a boil and continue to cook, whisking regularly to prevent lumps until thickened. You can also add one or two pieces of star anise to boost flavor.

Steamed buns the cheater's way

This cheater's bola-bola is so easy to make; the most work involved is making the homemade sauce!

1. Flatten the biscuits- Open the tube of refrigerated biscuits and separate each dough. Flatten the dough to about 3 inches in diameter with a rolling pin. Place a fully thawed meatball and a quail egg in the center of each flattened dough.
2. Assemble the buns- Pull the edges to the center and twist them to enclose the filling fully. Place each dough ball seam side on 3 x 3-inch parchment paper.
3. Arrange them in a single layer on a steamer basket, leaving a few inches of space between each, as the dough will expand during steaming. Add water and one tablespoon of vinegar for every liter of water in the bottom part of the steamer. The vinegar will help whiten the buns.
4. Steam the buns- Place the steamer basket over the pot of water, cover, and steam until the buns are puffed and the tops are shiny. Remove the steamed siopao from the steamer and serve hot with the sauce.

How to serve and store

• These easy steamed meat buns make a tasty and filling midday snack or light meal. They're classically served with noodle soups such as beef wonton mami. Drizzle with the brown sauce for a touch of sweet and savory flavor!
• Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for a few minutes or until firm. Transfer to airtight containers or resealable bags and freeze for up to 3 months.
• To reheat, warm in the microwave for 30 to 40 seconds or steam for 2 to 3 minutes.