I've always loved manapua growing up in Hawaii. Someone told me that manapua was Hawaiian for flower power because mana means power and pua means flower. I believed it. I've just learned that it's not true. It actually comes from mea ʻono puaʻa, meaning, "delicious pork thing." I could see where this does make more sense.
There are two kinds of manapua. This Wikipedia photo shows the steamed buns. I prefer the baked buns which are brown and glazed.
When we moved to the mainland in 1973 we looked everywhere in Chicago's Chinatown for manapua. That's when we learned that they are actually called cha siu bao.
We also found that they come stuffed with ham or curry or chicken or whatever.
Still.... I have to say my favorite is the original "delicious pork thing."
There are two kinds of manapua. This Wikipedia photo shows the steamed buns. I prefer the baked buns which are brown and glazed.
When we moved to the mainland in 1973 we looked everywhere in Chicago's Chinatown for manapua. That's when we learned that they are actually called cha siu bao.
We also found that they come stuffed with ham or curry or chicken or whatever.
Still.... I have to say my favorite is the original "delicious pork thing."
I never heard of them, but the remind me a little bit of stuffed buns I remember from my past. I guess they don't make anything like them around here any more, do they? Or is it just that I only know traditional foods and they are out there somewhere. :-)
ReplyDeleteI didn't know any of this on my last visit. Gosh that looks so good.
ReplyDeleteHa, I love the translation "delicious pork thing." Bon appetit.
ReplyDeleteHi Kay, I enjoy reading about your different foods--none of which I have heard of. But they all look so good... I'd enjoy the Manapua with chicken I'll bet.. Just bake it and glaze it... YUM....
ReplyDeleteGlad your got your papaya tree down... That was definitely a BIG one!!!
Hugs,
Betsy
We love Chinese dumplings. They are perhaps similar to manapua.
ReplyDeletei like the pork filled dumplings we can get around here, but I know they have no real connection to authentic Chinese food.
ReplyDeleteI love manapua too, and growing up near Chinatown in San Francisco, I adored char siu bao from an early age. Bao means bread in Chinese. Yum!
ReplyDeleteYes, char siu bao is the best, and the steamed bun is what I like. In fact, often, I give some of the filling to my cats because I like the bun better! And my son is just like me, except he pulls out more the filling than I do. Do you also like the ones they call pepeau (the ones with the water chestnuts, shrimp and pork)? I love those, too. You know, it's not good when you blog about food because then I just find my mind wandering and thinking about FOOD! :-)
ReplyDeleteI love these too! We get them at dim sum, and we can even buy them frozen here.
ReplyDeleteThe first time I had that was when I Chinese friend took me to a Chinese restaurant and ordered them. Delicious. When my youngest daughter lived in China and we visited we had something similar with red bean paste inside. Also delicious. I think I have found them in the frozen section of Lotte and H Mart but they're not as good. May have to get some again soon. Thanks for reminding me.
ReplyDeleteInteresting history of the name. I'll bet they taste good.
ReplyDeletesounds yummy!
ReplyDeleteSounds good to me! I don't eat a lot but I do still cook lunch for my brother-in-law and myself.
ReplyDeleteThat is the perfect translation!!!!
ReplyDeleteBuns stuffed with pork?? What's not to love. Wish they had those here.
ReplyDeleteMmm.... those things are delicious. I've always called 'em "Char Siew Bao". Though they more often get called "Pork Buns" by chinese shop assistants who never imagine that I'm speaking to them in Cantonese.
ReplyDeleteI miss them, coz I live about Fifteen hundred miles from the nearest supermarket that sells them.... Sigh....