Siopao


Siopao, literally meaning "hot bun", is the Philippine cuisine indigenized version of the Cantonese steamed bun called cha siu bao.

Description

It is a popular snack sold mostly by bakeries and vendors and in many Chinese restaurants and eateries in the Philippines. There are different varieties based on the filling: pork asado or bola-bola. There is also a variety of ways to bake.
A unique variant from Siargao Island is the paowaw, a dessert bun which has a filling of bukayo.
An old urban legend or alleges that siopao is made from cat meat, due to the relative cheapness of siopao and Sinophobia.

In other countries

There is a similar derivative in Thai cuisine called salapao. Salapao are sometimes made with a sweet filling for a dessert. It is also a favorite in Hawaii where it is called manapua.