Kalo Rolls (Hawaiian Taro Bread)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •9 by 13 inch metal baking pan
• •Stand mixer with dough hook, optional but useful
• •Bench scraper for dividing sticky dough
• •Instant-read thermometer

Instructions

1. 1

   Wake the yeast

   Stir the warm milk or coconut milk with 1 teaspoon of the sugar, then sprinkle in the yeast. Let it sit 5 to 10 minutes, until the surface looks creamy and smells sweet and bready. If the liquid felt hot on your finger and the yeast stays flat, start over with cooler liquid; no need waste the whole bowl.

   Instant yeast can go straight into flour, but proofing it here tells you it is alive before it meets the kalo.
2. 2

   Loosen the poi

   Whisk the poi with the remaining 1/3 cup sugar, egg, 4 tablespoons of the melted butter, and paʻakai until smooth enough to pour in slow ribbons. If you are starting from cooked kalo, mash it very smooth with the warm water first, then measure 1 cup. Raw kalo is not for this dough; it bites the throat until it has been cooked properly.

3. 3

   Mix the dough

   Pour the yeast milk into the poi mixture and stir until the color is even. Add 3 1/2 cups flour and mix until shaggy, then let it rest 10 minutes so the kalo starch can drink in the moisture. Add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time only until the dough is soft, sticky, and gathered together.

   This dough should not feel like mainland sandwich bread dough. Kalo keeps it tacky, and that tackiness is what gives the roll its soft pull.
4. 4

   Knead it soft

   Knead by hand for 8 to 10 minutes, or with a dough hook on medium-low for 5 to 7 minutes, until the dough turns smooth, stretchy, and lightly glossy. It should cling a little to your fingers and then let go. Oil your hands before you add more flour, because too much flour makes a tight, dry roll.

5. 5

   Let it rise

   Rub a bowl with a little oil or softened butter, tuck the dough inside, and cover it. Let it rise in a warm place for 60 to 90 minutes, until doubled and puffy. Press it with one finger; if the dent fills back slowly, it's ready.

6. 6

   Shape the rolls

   Grease a 9 by 13 inch pan. Turn the dough onto a lightly oiled counter and divide it into 16 equal pieces, about 2 ounces each if you are weighing. Cup each piece under your palm and roll until the top is smooth and tight, then set them in the pan in four rows of four.

7. 7

   Rise again

   Cover the pan and let the rolls rise 35 to 50 minutes, until they look pillowy and the sides are touching. Heat the oven to 350F while they rise. The dough should look alive now, soft and full, not dry on top.

8. 8

   Bake and brush

   Bake 20 to 24 minutes, until the tops are honey-gold, the sides show that lavender-gray kalo color, and the center of a roll reads about 190F. Brush the hot tops with the last tablespoon of melted butter and finish with a few grains of flaky paʻakai if you like.

   If the tops brown before the centers are done, lay foil loosely over the pan for the last few minutes.
9. 9

   Pull and share

   Let the rolls rest 10 to 15 minutes so the crumb settles, then pull them apart at the table. Eat them warm with butter, tuck in kālua puaʻa, or save a few for the next morning with Spam and egg. Deep food and everyday food can sit together when you name them honestly.

Chef Tips

• •Fresh, sweet poi gives the softest bread. Sour poi is still good food, no throw it out, but it will give the rolls a tang and may rise a little slower; add 1 extra tablespoon sugar if your family likes them sweeter.
• •Color belongs to the kalo variety. Some poi bakes lavender, some gray, some barely purple at all. Bright bakery-purple usually means color was added. I don't chase it.
• •The dough should stay tacky. Add flour by the spoon, not by the handful, and let the kneading build strength before you decide it needs more.
• •For dairy-free rolls, use canned coconut milk and plant-based butter or coconut oil. The bread will taste a little more coconut-rich, and that's fine for a modern island kitchen.
• •Leftovers are not leftovers, they're breakfast. Toast the rolls, butter them, or split them for kālua puaʻa, egg, or whatever the fridge is giving you. Eat what you have.

Advance Preparation

• •Cook and mash the kalo, or buy fresh poi, up to 2 days ahead. Bring it to room temperature before mixing so it doesn't slow the yeast down.
• •Shape the rolls in the pan, cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight. Let them sit at room temperature 60 to 90 minutes the next day, until puffy, then bake.
• •Baked rolls freeze well for up to 1 month. Wrap tightly, thaw at room temperature, and warm covered in a low oven so the crumb stays soft.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 65g)