Vegetarian Siopao, Mom's Recipe

I grew up with siopao, steamed buns done the Filipino way, and what I've always considered the Filipino "hamburger." They take a while to make but are well worth it. They freeze well, and it just takes 10 minutes or so in a bamboo steamer to reheat. So here you go folks, my mom's recipe word-for-word: 

1 1/4 C lukewarm water 

2 tsp yeast 

3/4 cup sugar 

1/4 tsp salt 

1 tsp baking powder 

3 T oil 

4 1/2 cups flour (I use whole wheat, sometimes with 1 cup all-purpose and 3 1/2 cups wheat) 

2 sheets of paper cut into roughly 3 inch squares (more if needed) 

Soften yeast and 1 T of sugar in lukewarm water for 15 minutes. In another bowl, mix together sugar, salt, and oil. Add yeast mixture and 1/2 of flour. Mix well. Add remaining flour and continue mixing until well blended. Knead on floured board until smooth. Shape dough into ball and place in greased bowl. Grease surface of dough. Let rise 30-40 min. Make filling (see recipe below). Punch down dough and divide into desired sizes. Form into (roughly 2 in diameter) balls and let rise for another 30 min. Flatten dough pieces in circle, spoon prepared filling, top with a tsp of egg, bring ends over to seal. Place paper squares under ball. Let rise until double the size. Steam in bamboo steamer (or any other steamer) for 10-15 minutes. 

Suggested filling: 

2 boiled eggs (I omit now since I've become more plant-based)

diced sauteed seitan, potatoes, carrots, and peas 

*I suggest a medium-large frying pan of diced seitan, potatoes, carrots, and peas. Start with about a tablespoon or 2 of oil, throw in 1/2 to 1 onion chopped with 1 clove of minced garlic, stir until browned. Throw in whatever vegetarian "meat" you've got (seitan is great--about 2-3 cups should be sufficient), followed by 2-3 potatoes and 1-2 cups carrots, peeled and diced. Add a tablespoon or so of soy sauce, and black pepper and salt to taste. Throw in a handful of frozen peas. Cook until peas are just cooked. Enjoy! 

2/14/2011 Addendum: I kept meaning to add the recipe for the Siopao Sauce and just remembered now. I usually throw the ingredients in to taste but I went and decided to measure it out just for you, my friends, who wanted the recipe. This is a sweet and sour sauce to be served with the siopao. Peel paper off siopao, break halfway open so insides are showing, squirt or spoon sauce inside, close siopao and rub ends together to spread evenly, bite into siopao. Simple. When you have no time, you can use ketchup...but it's more authentic this way. In small saucepan put: 1 cup of water 3 T of soy sauce (the MSG-less for those who want to avoid MSG) 3 T of brown sugar 2 T of rice vinegar 1 clove of garlic crushed or pressed 1 T of cornstarch (or flour) lots and lots of black pepper (grind away or put 2 tsps or so?) Optional: chili pepper flakes or chili substitute Mix well then put over heat. Stir until thickened to your liking. You can add more cornstarch or either of the salty/sour/sweet portion to your liking, this was just an approximation of what tastes just about right to me.