Keke Pua’a (Samoan Steamed Pork Buns)

 

This month’s Eat the World is heading to the island of Samoa.   Like many islands, the cuisine has a lot of seafood and tropical fruits…I don’t eat seafood and tropical fruits aren’t readily available, especially in April.

Luckily, I found a fantastic steamed bun recipe, reminiscent of bao in Chinese cuisine.

This bun is filled with something similar to teriyaki pork.  The recipe was a bit challenging to follow.  I found Keke Pua’a on a list of popular Samoan foods, but then struggled to find a recipe online.  The blog posts I found didn’t seem all that authentic, so then I was left with Youtube and Tik Tok recipes, which are not my jam.

I do use Youtube tutorials occasionally, but not usually for recipes, but for technique.  And Tik Tok is definitely not my thing, but here we are.  The benefit of this method was that I finally got the hang of folding/sealing the buns properly since I could see it.  But the recipe itself took a little imagination, since not all of the ingredients or measurements were listed. Ugh.

I also still do not own a steamer, so I had to take some creative liberty in the cooking.  I pan steamed the buns, resulting in a delightful (but not authentically) crispy bottom.

Overall, these were delicious and enjoyed by all.

Eat the World

Samoa

• Combating 'Blankness' with Moa Fa'Asaina by Culinary Cam
• Keke Pua’a (Samoan Steamed Pork Buns) by Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Moa Fa'Asaina- Samoan Chicken by Sneha's Recipe
• Oka a'i A Day in the Life on the Farm

Keke Pua’a (Samoan Steamed Pork Buns)

Adapted from SLShomecooks

Dough

¼ cup very warm water (about 110 degrees F)

2 tablespoons yeast

4 tablespoons sugar, divided

¼ cup milk

¼ cup butter, melted and cooled slightly

2 eggs

Pinch of salt

2 ½ - 3 cups flour

Pork Filling

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 pound boneless pork ribs, cut in small strips

1 small yellow onion, diced

4-5 cloves garlic, minced

½ tablespoon fresh ginger

½ cup low sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

½ teaspoon garlic chili sauce or oyster sauce

2 cups water

To finish

1 tablespoon flour + 2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 cup water

To make the dough, place the water, yeast, and 1 tablespoon of sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Stir to mix and set aside until foamy.

Add the remaining sugar, milk, butter, salt, eggs, and half the flour.  Stir with the paddle attachment until smooth.  Switch to the dough hook and gradually add the remaining flour until a smooth, slightly tacky dough is formed.  Knead for 3 minutes.

Place the dough in a greased bowl.  Cover with a damp cloth and set in a warm place to rise for 1 ½-2 hours or until doubled in size.

Meanwhile, make the pork filling.  

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the pork and fry for 2-3 minutes or until just browned.  

Reduce heat to medium-low.  Add the onions and cook for another 3 minutes.

Stir in the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, brown sugar, and garlic chili sauce, stir until well coated.

Stir in the water.  Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to a simmer for 30 minutes.

Remove cover and increase heat to boil until only a small amount of liquid remains.  Whisk together the flour and 2 tablespoons of water and stir into the pork.  Cook for another minute or until the sauce is thickened.

Move the pork to a bowl or plate and allow it to cool for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, punch down the dough and divide it into 12 two-ounce pieces.

Roll each piece into a flat round.  Scoop some of the pork filling into the center of the dough.  Pinch to seal the filling inside and set down, seam side down.

Once all buns are filled, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the buns in a single layer.  Pour the water over the buns, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low.  Steam the buns for 15 minutes or until the water has evaporated.  Serve hot.

 

Amy Eats the World in...

1. Cuba: Ropa Vieja (Slow Cooker Beef)
2. Ireland: Cheesy Potato Soup with Irish Ale
   
3. Thailand: Chicken Satay
   
4. Kenya: Crunchy N’Dizi (Peanut Crusted Bananas)
   
5. Sweden: Rodbetssallad med Getost (Grated Beet Salad with Goat Cheese)
6. New Zealand: Kiwi Burger 
7. France: Fougasse (Provencal Flatbread)
8. Argentina: Chimichurri Sauce
   
9. Mexico (Halloween Special): Pan de Muerto (Day of the Dead Bread)
10. India: Spiced Golden Milk 
11. Poland: Chrusciki (Angel Wing Cookies)
12. Ethiopia: Buticha (Hummus)
13. England: Wizarding World of Harry Potter Leaky Cauldron-Style Mini Cottage Pie 
    
14. Georgia: Lobiani (Bean-Stuffed Bread)
15. Mexico: Crispy Pork Carnitas
    
16. Cambodia: Loc Lac (Shredded Beef with Lime)
17. Israel: Chicken Albondigas (Chicken Meatballs)
18. Finland: Sima (Lemonade) 
19. Puerto Rico: Arroz con Tocino  (Rice with Bacon)
20. Egypt: Ghorayebah Cookies
    
21. Ukraine: Scuffles (Rohalyky) Cinnamon Crescent Rolls
    
22. Portugal: Bitoque (Steak & Eggs) 
23. Germany (Christmas Special): Lebkuchenherzen (German "Gingerbread" Cookies) 
24. Trinidad & Tobago: Trini Macaroni Pie 
25. Iraq: T'bit (Slow Cooked Chicken & Brown Rice) 
26. Fiji: Fijian Creamy Lentil Soup (Dhal) 
27. Senegal: Cafe Touba (Senegalese Spiced Coffee) 
28. Colombia: Cañón de Cerdo (Colombia-Style Pork Loin Roast) 
29. Soul Food (United States): Oven-Baked Ribs with Cola BBQ Sauce 
30. Bangladesh: Shemai (Sweet Vermicelli Pudding) 
31. The Netherlands: Dutch Farmer’s Cheese Soup (Boerenkaas Soep) 
32. Laos: Khao Piak Sen (Lao Chicken Noodle Soup) 
33. Jamaica: Chicken &  Pumpkin Soup 
34. Vietnam: Vietnamese Chicken Porridge (Chao Ga) 
35. Sudan: Red Lentil Soup (Sudanese Addas) 
36. Luxembourg: Bouchée à la Reine (Vol-au-Vent)
    
37. Uruguay: Pasta Caruso
38. China: Homemade Fortune Cookies
39. Lesotho: Borotho Bread
40. Scotland: Tattie Scones
41. Native American Tribes of North America: Wild Rice, Squash, & Corn Soup
42. Guyana: Butterflaps
43. Greece: Cabbage Roll Rice Bowls
44. Réunion Island: Rougail Z'Andouille
45. Japan: Yoshinoya Beef Bowl (Gyudon)
46. Australia: Fairy Bread
47. Ecuador: Lentil Soup with Rice (Arroz con Menestra de Lentejas)
48. Slovakia: Garlic & Potato Soup (Cesnaková Polievka)
49. Turkey: Simit Bread
50. Dominican Republic: Taco Shepherd’s Pie (Pastelón de Papa)
51. Libya: Macroona Imbakbaka (Libyan Minestrone)
52. Malta: Brodu Tat-Tigiega (Maltese Chicken Soup)
53. Wales: Cawl Cennin (Welsh-Style Leek & Potato Soup)
54. Morocco: Kefta Tagine with Eggs in Tomato Sauce
55. Bermuda: Bermuda Triangle Cocktail
56. Philipines: Pork Siomai
57. Chile: Chilean Beef & Corn Shepherd's Pie (Pastel de Choclo)
58. Slovenia: Slovenian Flatbread (Belokranjska Pogača)
59. Lebanon: Ka’ak (Lebanese Purse Bread)
60. Congo: Moambe Chicken (Congo Poulet Moambe)
61. Guatamala: Fiambre (Guatemalan Salad)
62. Austria: Viennese Kaiser Rolls
63. French Polynesia: Vanilla Bean Lemonade
64. Seychelles: Creole Rice
65. Switzerland: Bündner Gerstensuppe (Swiss Barley Soup)
66. Brazil: Brigadeiro (Brazilian Fudge Balls)
67. Madagascar: Hen`omby Ritra (Malagasy Simmered Beef)
68. Spain: Tortilla Española (Potato Omelette)
69. Afghanistan: Aush (Afghan Noodle Soup)
70. Indonesia: Nasi Goreng with Chicken
71. Denmark: Frikadeller (Danish Meatballs)
72. Oman: Omani Bread (Khubz Ragag)
73. Costa Rica: Costa Rican Garbanzo Bean and Chicken Soup
74. Palestine: Whole Chickpea Hummus (Musabaha)
75. Zimbabwe: Beef Hifiridzi (Beef Short Ribs with Greens)
76. Kiribati: Kiribati Squash Coconut Soup
77. Belize: Pan de Muerto
78. Azerbaijan: Sweet Turmeric Milk Bread (Shirin Chorek)
79. Iceland: Piparkökur (Icelandic Pepper Cookies)
80. Zambia: Zambian Spinach
81. Burma/Myanmar: Garlic Oil Noodles with Chicken
82. Moldova: Zeama (Moldovan Chicken Soup)
83. Samoa: Keke Pua’a (Samoan Steamed Pork Buns)