Keke Puaʻa (Sāmoan Steamed Pork Bun)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large steamer basket or 10-inch bamboo steamer with lid
• •Heavy skillet for the pork filling
• •Rolling pin
• •10 parchment squares, about 4 inches each

Instructions

1. 1

   Start the dough

   Mix the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Pour in the warm water and oil, then stir until a shaggy dough comes together. Knead 8 to 10 minutes by hand, or 5 to 6 minutes in a mixer, until the dough turns smooth, soft, and a little springy under your palm.

   The dough should feel softer than dinner-roll dough, not sticky like batter. Add flour one spoonful at a time if it clings badly, but don't dry it out.
2. 2

   Let it rise

   Rub a bowl lightly with oil, set the dough inside, cover it, and let it rise in a warm place for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until doubled and full-looking. No rush the dough. Yeast keeps its own small tide, and if the kitchen is cool it just needs more time.

3. 3

   Cook the pork

   While the dough rises, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced pork and cook until the edges brown and the fat begins to gloss the pan, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook until the onion softens and smells sweet.

4. 4

   Season the filling

   Add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar, tomato sauce, and black pepper. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, until the pork is coated and the sauce looks dark and shiny. Stir in the green onions, then pour in the cornstarch slurry and cook until the filling tightens enough to mound on a spoon. Cool it completely before shaping.

   Warm filling makes the dough slump and tear. Cool filling sits where you put it, and the bun closes clean.
5. 5

   Divide and fill

   Punch down the dough and divide it into 10 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a round about 5 inches wide, thicker in the center and thinner at the edge. Spoon a generous mound of pork into the middle, then pull the edges up and pinch them closed tight. Set each bun seam-side down on a parchment square.

6. 6

   Proof the buns

   Cover the shaped buns with a clean towel and let them rest 20 to 30 minutes, until slightly puffed. They don't need to double now. They just need to relax, so the dough steams up soft instead of tight.

7. 7

   Steam them soft

   Bring a few inches of water to a steady simmer in a wide pot or steamer. Set the buns in the steamer with space between them, because they swell. Cover and steam 16 to 18 minutes for large buns, keeping the heat steady and the lid closed. The finished buns should look plump, matte-white, and tender, with a soft give when pressed.

8. 8

   Rest and share

   Turn off the heat and let the buns sit covered for 3 minutes before lifting the lid, so they don't wrinkle hard from the sudden air. Serve warm, whole or split open, with the glossy pork tucked inside the soft bread. Put them out family-style. Somebody will always take one for the road.

Chef Tips

• •Pork shoulder gives the best everyday filling because it has enough fat to stay juicy. Pork belly is richer. Ground pork works when time is short, just cook it until the sauce clings and the mixture is not watery.
• •This is Sāmoan food with Chinese ancestry, and both truths can sit at the table. Name the Sāmoan hand, don't erase the Chinese root, and don't turn the bun into a generic island snack.
• •A bamboo steamer, metal steamer basket, or pasta pot insert all work. Line each bun with parchment so it lifts clean and keeps its bottom tender.
• •No oyster sauce? Use hoisin with a little extra soy sauce. It won't be the exact same taste, but eat what you have. The point is a savory-sweet filling that holds together.

Advance Preparation

• •Make the pork filling up to 2 days ahead and chill it covered. Cold filling is easier to wrap.
• •Shape the buns the night before, set them on parchment, cover lightly, and refrigerate. Let them sit at room temperature 30 to 45 minutes before steaming.
• •Cooked keke puaʻa keep 3 days in the fridge or 2 months frozen. Reheat from chilled in a steamer for 8 to 10 minutes, or from frozen for 15 to 18 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 155g)