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 they 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 dislike 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.

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.

Steamed bun fillings

I use frozen pre-cooked meatballs and hard-boiled quail eggs from the can to keep with 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 macao-style recipe; just 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 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. Open the tube of refrigerated biscuits and separate each dough. Flatten the dough to about 3 inches in diameter with hands or a rolling pin. Place a fully thawed meatball and a quail egg in the center of each flattened dough. Pull the edges to the center and twist to fully enclose the filling.
2. Place each dough ball seam side on 3 x 3-inch cut parchment paper and arrange it in a single layer on a steamer basket. Leave 1 to 2 inches of space between each, as the dough will expand during steaming.
3. 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. Place the steamer basket over the pot of water, cover, and steam for 10 to 15 minutes or until the buns are puffed and the tops are shiny.
4. Remove the steamed siopao from the steamer and serve hot with the sauce.

Make the sauce by combining water, soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, oil, and salt to taste. Stir until well-blended and bring to a boil over medium heat. Continue to cook, whisking regularly to prevent lumps until thickened. You can also add one or two pieces of star anise to boost flavor.

How to store

• 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.