Siopao: Chinese Invention, Yet Very Pinoy!

Chinese foods are very popular in the Philippines. In fact, Philippines have adapted Chinese cuisines and the Chinese way of cooking. Quiapo, Binondo, Sta. Cruz, Ong Pin are the places in Manila where most fancy Chinese restaurants can be found. These restaurants do not only serve Chinese food but also different kinds of Asian food particularly Hong Kong, Thai, Taiwanese. Some restaurants are successfully run by Filipino-Chinese entrepreneurs.

When we think of Chinese food, then siopao can be your number one in the list.

Siopao is one of the popular Chinese food items. Siopao factually means ‘steamed buns’ stuffed with savory chunks of meat, and it is sometimes compared to ‘salapao’ of Thailand. Siopao is the ultimate all-time favorite of the oldies. Go ask your grannies and they will be willing to teach you how to make a special siopao. Siopao comes in traditional variants – adobo and bola-bola. Almost 50% of siopao is dominated by flour (carbohydrates), 30% fat, 20% protein. As the demands of the customers continually rise, siopao makers and even chefs have been modifying it, making it more delightful to the sight and taste of different customers. Modern variants include tuna, spicy beef, and chicken. On the other hand, dessert siopao comes with various sweet fillings – monggo, ube, keso, chocolate; and they are popularly known as ‘tiny pao’ or ‘sweet pao’.

If you ask me, I’d definitely try every variant from gourmet to dessert type of siopao. Siopao becomes even more appetizing if it’s topped with its signature sweet sauce – that’s the rule, don’t ever forget it! Siopao business is one of the awesome and ever-famous businesses being established by the early Chinese who resided in the Philippines. Siopao is a common thing for all Filipinos and we love its aroma and fluffy appearance. Since everyone patronizes and eats siopao, there will be no room for profit loss if you establish a siopao business. For customer loyalty and repeat patronage, turn your siopao into an extraordinary one, make the meat fillings good and bountiful, and the bun should not look sagged and wrinkled. It is hard to earn customer loyalty, so make your service and product exceptional from the very start. Companies that offer siopao franchise are the following: Anak ng Siopao, Pao Express, Henlin, TsienPao Shanghai Fried Siopao, Kowloon, Pinoy Pao of Filtrepreneur Franchise Inc. Be sure you get into the right franchise company that can help you become a successful entrepreneur.

Image Credit: Helga’s Lobster Stew at Flickr and Takeaway at Wikimedia Commons