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Manapua – Char Siu Bao

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A few weeks ago, I posted a recipe for char siu, a popular way to prepare Chinese BBQ pork. While char siu is delicious on its own, one of our favorite ways to eat it is in a manapua, a popular snack food in Hawaii. If you’ve ever been to a dim sum restaurant and had a char siu bao, a manapua is a larger version of this dainty char siu filled sweet bun.

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Manapua History

Char siu bao was first introduced to Hawaii by the Chinese immigrants that came to work in the sugar cane fields. They would peddle these pork filled buns in various neighborhoods and it soon became an island favorite called, manapua. Manapua is the shortened version of the Hawaiian word “mea ono pua’a”; “mea ono” for cake or pastry and “pua’a” for pork.

The present large sized manapua found in Hawaii is credited to a lady named Bat Moi Kam Mau. She opened her dim sum restaurant, Char Hung Sut, in 1946 and supposedly developed the larger sized Manapua, which can now be found in many food establishments all over the islands.

Modern Manapua

Today, you can buy manapuas that are filled with all sorts of fillings: curry, boiled eggs, chicken, and a variety of other goodies.  The filling is only limited by your imagination and you can fill a manapua with anything you would eat with a sweet bun.

Making manapua is somewhat of a small task, but it’s a treat worth taking the time to make. To date, I’ve tried a few steamed bun recipes and the one below is my favorite because it produces a nice smooth and shiny outer skin and has a good texture.

How to Make Manapua Dough

Ingredients

  • Active Yeast
  • Water, lukewarm
  • Flour
  • Sugar
  • Vegetable oil
  • Boiling water
  • Sesame oil

Equipment

  • Stand mixer or bowls
  • Measuring spoons/cups
  • Spatula
  • Pot

3yeast

 Step 1. In a large bowl or stand mixer bowl, add one packet or 2 1/4 tsp of yeast to 1 cup of lukewarm water.

Step 2. Add one cup of flour to the yeast/water mixture and cover with a damp towel. Let this sit for 30 minutes or until bubbles appear.

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Step 3. Dissolve sugar and vegetable oil in 1/2 cup of hot water. Set aside and let cool until lukewarm. Once cooled, pour the mixture into the yeast mixture, along with the remaining 3 1/2 cups of flour. Mix to incorporate for about 10 minutes.

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Step 4. After the dough is formed, place 2 tsp. of sesame oil in a large bowl and roll dough in the bowl to coat lightly with sesame oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise for about 30-45 minutes.

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Step 5. Once dough is ready, split it into two. Roll out each piece into a long roll, approximately two inches wide and 14 – 16 inches long. Cut into 8 pieces and roll into round balls. Note: You can also use a digital scale to make each ball around 64-65 grams.

Manapua Filling

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Step 6. Before creating the buns, prepare the steamer so it will be ready to fill when the buns are made. Now, let’s get started! Flatten dough balls into 4 inch circles. Leave more dough in the center and use your fingers to press dough out at the edges. *You want more dough at in the middle so the meat mixture doesn’t pop through while cooking*

Step 7. Place a heaping tablespoon to tablespoon and a half of char siu mix into the center of the dough.

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Step 8. Start pulling up the edges of the dough around the filling (my 10yr. old daughter is my helper here). Pinch the gather the dough close and flip onto a 3″x 3″ inch parchment or wax paper square.

Step 9. Dip fingers into sesame seed oil and lightly rub onto the top and sides of the bun.

Step 10. By the time all the buns are made, the first buns should be ready to place into the steamer. Leave approximately 1- 2 inches between buns and steam for 8-10 minutes. Remove and place on rack to cool.  Serve warm.

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Steamer Tip

I prefer bamboo steamers, but a metal or rice cooker steamer can be used. If using a metal steamer, use a cloth on the cover to keep water from dripping onto the top of the buns.

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Yummy manapua.

What would you fill your manapua with?Manapua - Char Siu Bao Hawaiian Style

Manapua - Char Siu Bao

Manapua - Char Siu Bao

Yield: 16

How to make large steamed buns or manapua.

Ingredients

Manapua Filling

  • 1 1/4 cup char siu
  • 1 -2 T. Hot Water
  • 2 T. Hoisin
  • 1/2 tsp. Oyster Sauce
  • 1 T. Sugar
  • 1 1/2 - 2 T. Green Onions

Manapua Dough

  • 1 packet yeast or 2 1/4 tsp. yeast (do not use quick rise)
  • 1 cup lukewarm water
  • 1 cup + 3 1/2 cup flour (total 4 1/2 cups)
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 T. vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup boiling water
  • 2 tsp. sesame oil (for bowl) + 1/2 tablespoon
  • 2" x 2" square cut parchment paper for bottom of manapua dough

Instructions

Manapua Filling

  1. Add hoisin, oyster sauce, and green onions to the chopped char siu.
  2. Dissolve sugar in 1-2 tablespoon of hot water. Mix into char siu filling mixture.
  3. You can also add more hoisin or oyster sauce to taste.

Manapua Dough

  1. Add one packet or 2 1/4 tsp of yeast to 1 cup of lukewarm water in a large bowl or stand mixer bowl. Add one cup of flour to the yeast/water mixture and cover with a damp towel. Let this sit for about 30 minutes or until bubbles appear.
  2. Dissolve sugar and vegetable oil in 1/2 cup hot water to dissolve the sugar. Set aside and let cool until lukewarm. Once cooled, pour into the yeast mixture with the remaining 3 1/2 cups flour. Mix to incorporate for about 10 minutes.
  3. Once the dough is formed, put 2 tsp. of sesame seed oil into a large bowl or stand mixer and place it inside. Roll the dough in the bowl to lightly cover it with the sesame seed oil. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and place in a warm place. Let rise until double in bulk, about 30-45 minutes.
  4. After the dough has risen, divide it into 2 equal portions. Remove the first portion and knead 2 minutes. Repeat with the other half. Roll each into roll 14 – 16 inches long and cut into 8 pieces. If using a scale, each ball should be about 64-65 grams each.
  5. Shape each cut piece into round balls. Flatten each piece into 4 inch circles, leaving more dough in the center and using your fingers to push the dough out at the edges.
  6. Take a heaping 1 - 1 1/2 tablespoons of the char siu mixture and place it into the middle of each dough circle. Bring the edges of the circle around the filling and pinch close.
  7. Place each bun onto a square piece of  3″ x 3″ parchment paper. Dip your fingers into the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of sesame oil and lightly rub the top and sides of the buns.
  8. Place buns into a steamer and steam for 8 - 10 minutes.
  9. Remove buns and place on a rack to cool. Serve warm.

Notes

Storage

  • If storing, let buns completely cool and place in the refrigerator in an air tight container. Keep up to 3 days.
  • If freezing, place completely cooled buns into a plastic bag to store. If you store while warm, they will stick together.

Reheating

  • To reheat, cover with a damp paper towel and place into the microwave for 40-60 seconds from the refrigerator.
  • Quick reheat from frozen, cover the manapua with a damp paper towel and microwave for 1-2 minutes.
  • To steam reheat from frozen, place the manapua into a steamer basket and cook for 12-15 minutes.

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Did you make this recipe?

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© Erlene - My Pinterventures
Cuisine: Hawaii Fusion / Category: Lunch

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25 Comments

  1. My husband is half-Vietnamese, and they love these! I now can make them for him. Thanks for linking up with the Tasty Tuesday’s Link-up. I have pinned your post to the Tasty’s Tuesday’s Pinterest Board!

    Reply

  2. HI, Erlene. I enjoyed reading about the history of manapua. Thank you for the step by step pictures too–I’m not sure I could make these without the pictures. The tip to leave extra dough in the middle makes sense and is something I wouldn’t have thought about.
    Thank you for sharing this week!

    Reply

  3. I love steamed buns, these look great! Thanks for linking to Sweet and Savoury Sunday! Stop by and link up again this weekend!

    Reply

  4. These look amazing!! I think I just saw something similar on a Food Network show that was in Hawaii. I would love to try these!

    Thanks for linking up to Wordy Wednesday. Pinning! 🙂

    Reply

  9. My family loves manapua, They sit around eating it right out of the box with the pork hash and half moons…..yummy….. Thank you for sharing with us at The MaMade Blog Hop

    Reply

  11. I love steam buns! I never knew how to make them from scratch and this sounds like a super fun way to make them. I even have the steamer and everything, so gonna try it out! Thanks for linking it up to Snickerdoodle Sunday!

    Reply

  14. Yum. I love manapuas. Char Siu is my favorite. We have a bakery here where I usually buy mine (i’ve never had them steamed I always go for baked). I’ll have to try making them sometime. Pinning. Seen on Much Ado.

    Reply