Mini Manapuas

Lately Kailani has taken a liking to char siu - Chinese barbequed pork. I figured I'd better find a recipe and start cooking some at home! Then I remembered while living in Virginia a friend sending me an awesome care package from Hawaii with all of my favorite local-kine snacks. She also included a recipe for manapua (barbeque pork filled buns) and the spices to make them. Ahhhhh! Steamed/baked buns with char sui filling! I decided to make them tonight for my girls. I knew they would love it!  

Yummy! Or "ono" as we say in Hawaii! They are small....but a little bigger than a donut hole. Check them out in Momo's hands:

If you are seeking an easy manapua recipe here's the one I used: 

Mini Manapua

1/2 lb. ground pork or hamburger

1/4 c. chopped green onion

    1/4 c. minced water chestnuts
    2-3 tbsp. char siu powder mix:
    2 cans refrigerator buttermilk biscuits

Brown ground pork or beef; add water chestnuts and char siu powder. Add green onions and turn off heat.  Drain oil and let cool.

Flatten biscuit in your hand to create a 2 inch round circle. Place a heaping teaspoon of filling in center of biscuit. Pinch edges of biscuit closed and place on waxed paper.

(Optional: place a dot of red food coloring on the top of each manapua.)

Bake for 10-12 minutes in 350 degree oven or steam for 15 minutes in steamer. Makes 20 manapuas.

How did the girls like them? Well, honestly......Momo wouldn't eat one (because I also made chow funn noodles, which she loves) and Kailani only ate the breaded part of the manapua. ARRRRGH. Eight-year olds....I swear!