Description
Puto pao is a type of steamed mini buns made out of rice and/or all-purpose flour filled with seasoned pork then topped with salted duck eggs, think of it as a cross between siopao and puto. This steamed cake is nearly like a siopao but instead of using a yeast dough this uses an airy batter made of fluffed egg whites with some aid from baking powder.
Ingredients
Puto
- 2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup fresh milk
- 4 egg whites
- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/3 cup sugar
Filling
- 250g pork shoulder, sliced into small cubes
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cup water
- 2 tsp cornstarch mixed in 2 tbsp water
- 6 cloves garlic
- freshly ground black pepper
- oil
Others
- salted duck eggs, sliced
Instructions
Batter
- In a bowl sift together flour, baking powder and 1/2 cup sugar.
- Pour water and milk, mix until combined and free of lumps.
- On a separate bowl beat egg whites and cream of tartar until it forms soft peaks. Gradually add sugar until stiff peaks form.
- Fold egg white mixture into the batter.
Filling
- In a pan add oil then sauté garlic.
- Add pork then brown on all sides.
- Add the soy sauce, brown sugar and water. Bring to a boil then simmer for 45 minutes to an hour until pork is fork tender.
- Pour diluted constarch then bring heat to high then cook further pulling apart the meat, cook until liquid is reduced to a thick consistency. Turn heat off then set aside to cool down.
Puto
- Prepare a steamer, bamboo ones work well if not prepare a muslin cloth with a size bigger than your steamer cover.
- Add water to your steamer then add 1 tbsp vinegar (this prevents your puto to become yellowish in colour). Bring to a boil.
- Slightly grease your puto moulds then fill it halfway with the batter. Add 2 tsp of the filling then top it up with batter to cover the filling. Place a small slice of salted duck egg on top.
- Arrange in your steamer then steam for 15 minutes, place a muslin cloth between the puto and cover to avoid dripping hot water, this will make your puto not to rise properly.
- Remove from heat let it cool, remove from moulds then serve.
It looks really really nice, girl! Like a perfect Sunday snack for the whole family! 🙂
I wish a I was close enough to order them, but will try these beauties at home
Very creative. Looks like our putu piring here but of course, that one does not have the meat filling.
You always introduce me to such unique cuisines/foods I have never heard of! I appreciate that though!
Those sound fabulous!
What kind of flour did you used? all purpose flour? cake flour? rice flour?
All purpose