Manapua (Hawaiʻi Local Char Siu Pork Bun)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •12-inch bamboo or metal steamer with a tight lid
• •10 parchment paper squares, 3 to 4 inches each
• •Small rolling pin
• •Bench scraper for dividing dough

Instructions

1. 1

   Wake the dough

   In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch, sugar, yeast, baking powder, and salt. Add the warm water and oil, then mix until the dough turns shaggy and no dry flour hides at the bottom. Knead 8 to 10 minutes by hand, or 5 to 6 minutes in a mixer, until it feels smooth, soft, and a little tacky, like it wants to hold your hand but not glue itself there.

   If the dough cracks, wet your hands and keep kneading. If it smears like paste, dust in flour one tablespoon at a time. Too much flour makes a tough bun, and no blame the bun for that.
2. 2

   Let it rise

   Oil the bowl lightly, tuck the dough inside, cover it, and let it rise in a warm place for 60 to 75 minutes, until puffy and almost doubled. Press it with one floured finger. The dent should slowly fill back in, not snap shut and not stay dead flat. Dough has its own breath. Let it breathe.

3. 3

   Make the filling

   While the dough rises, warm 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion until soft and sweet-smelling, 3 to 4 minutes, then stir in the garlic and ginger for 30 seconds. Add the diced char siu, hoisin, oyster sauce, shoyu, sugar, and stock. Let it bubble until the pork is glossy, then stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook until the sauce thickens enough to mound on a spoon. Finish with sesame oil and cool completely.

   Warm filling tears the dough and makes the seal slip. Cool it until it is room temperature or colder, thick and shiny, not loose.
4. 4

   Divide the dough

   Turn the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface and press out the big air pockets. Cut it into 10 equal pieces, about 70 to 75 grams each if you are weighing. Roll each piece into a smooth ball, cover them with a towel, and rest 10 minutes so the dough relaxes and rolls without fighting you.

5. 5

   Fill and seal

   Roll one dough ball into a 5-inch round, keeping the center a little thicker than the edges. Spoon about 2 tablespoons filling into the middle. Gather the edges up around the pork, pleat or pinch them tight, then set the bun seam-side down on a parchment square for the smooth lunch-wagon top. Cover while you shape the rest.

   If filling touches the edge, the seal won't hold. Wipe the edge clean, pinch again, and keep going. Manapua is forgiving if your hands stay patient.
6. 6

   Rest the buns

   Let the filled buns rest 20 to 30 minutes, until they look puffy and feel light when you lift the parchment. They should not double huge. A gentle fingertip tap should leave a soft mark that slowly springs back.

7. 7

   Steam them steady

   Set a bamboo or metal steamer over a steady simmer. Arrange the buns with at least 1 inch between them, working in batches so they have room to swell. Cover and steam 12 to 14 minutes, until the dough is set, smooth, and springy. Turn off the heat, crack the lid for 3 minutes, then open fully so the buns do not wrinkle hard from the sudden change.

   If your metal lid drips, wrap the lid in a clean kitchen towel and tie it high so no cloth hangs near the burner. The towel catches drops that can spot the tops.
8. 8

   Eat or keep

   Serve warm in wax paper, with hot mustard or shoyu if your table likes it. The bun should pull apart soft and white, with the red pork glossy and thick inside. For later, cool completely, wrap, and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 months. Reheat in a steamer until soft again.

Chef Tips

• •Char siu from a Chinese roast-meat counter is the move if you have one nearby. That older cousin deserves respect. Hawaiʻi made manapua its own, but the red pork came through Chinese hands first.
• •The filling has to be thick. If it runs across the spoon, cook it another minute. Loose filling makes a soggy middle and a bun that opens before the family gets to it.
• •Local bakeries sell baked manapua too, golden on top and a little breadier. For that style, brush the proofed buns with beaten egg and bake at 350F for 18 to 20 minutes. Different texture, still Hawaiʻi.
• •No oyster sauce in your kitchen, or no shellfish at your table, use mushroom oyster sauce. We work it out with aloha, no problem.
• •Manapua fillings move with the times: curry chicken, lup cheong, sweet potato, even kālua puaʻa. Name the filling honestly and feed people. Keeper, not gatekeeper.

Advance Preparation

• •Make the char siu filling up to 2 days ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator. Cold filling is easier to wrap.
• •Shape the buns up to 12 hours ahead, set them on parchment, cover loosely, and refrigerate. Let them sit at room temperature 35 to 45 minutes before steaming.
• •Cooked manapua freezes well. Cool completely, wrap airtight, freeze up to 2 months, and reheat from frozen in a steamer until the bun turns soft again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 120g)