Pastele
intro
Tender steamed banana leaf parcels filled with savory seasoned pork and soft golden rice masa, a beloved holiday staple in Filipino and Hawaiian home cooking.
Ingredients
Steps
Prepare banana leaf wrappers
Heat 1 tablespoon (15ml) neutral cooking oil in a small pan over medium-low heat (120°C/250°F) for 1 minute. Wipe each 20cm x 15cm banana leaf piece with a clean paper towel to remove surface residue, then quickly pass each leaf over the warm pan for 5 seconds per side to soften and prevent tearing during wrapping. Trim off any thick, rigid central leaf veins with kitchen scissors and set softened leaves aside.
Make savory pork filling
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon (15ml) cooking oil in a large skillet over medium heat (160°C/325°F). Add 12g minced garlic and 150g diced yellow onion, sauté for 3 minutes until soft and translucent. Add 450g 1cm-diced boneless pork shoulder, cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides. Stir in 45ml light soy sauce, 1g ground black pepper, 120g drained canned green pigeon peas, and 150g 1cm-diced peeled yellow sweet potato. Pour in 120ml low-sodium chicken broth, reduce heat to low (110°C/230°F), cover, and simmer for 12 minutes until sweet potato is fork-tender and liquid is reduced by half. Set filling aside to cool for 10 minutes before assembling.
Mix rice masa dough
In a large ceramic mixing bowl, combine 320g glutinous rice flour, 2g annatto powder, and 5g table salt. Gradually stir in 240ml full-fat coconut milk, mixing with a wooden spoon until a smooth, thick, spreadable dough forms with no dry lumps. The dough should hold its shape when pressed, similar to thick sugar cookie dough; add 1 extra tablespoon (15ml) coconut milk if too crumbly, or 1 extra tablespoon (8g) glutinous rice flour if too sticky to handle.
Assemble pastele parcels
Lay one prepared banana leaf piece flat on a clean work surface, with the glossy side facing up. Spread 2 heaped tablespoons (40g) of rice masa into a 10cm x 8cm oval in the center of the leaf. Place 2 tablespoons (35g) of cooled pork filling directly in the center of the masa oval. Fold the banana leaf in half lengthwise to press the masa around the filling, then fold the open sides of the leaf inward to form a tight, rectangular 10cm x 5cm parcel. Tie each parcel closed with a thin 1cm-wide strip of leftover banana leaf to keep it sealed during steaming.
Steam wrapped pasteles
Arrange the wrapped pasteles in a single layer in a bamboo steamer basket set over a pot of rapidly boiling water, ensuring the water level sits 2cm below the bottom of the steamer basket to avoid boiling water touching the parcels. Cover the steamer tightly with a lid, reduce heat to medium to maintain a steady, gentle steam, and cook for 45 minutes. Check the pot water level every 15 minutes, topping up with boiling water as needed to prevent the pot from boiling dry.
Rest and serve warm
Once steaming is complete, turn off the heat and let the pasteles rest in the covered steamer for 10 minutes to allow the masa to set fully. Carefully unwrap the banana leaves to reveal the firm, golden parcels, and serve warm while soft and fragrant, with a side of spiced vinegar dip if desired.
Tips
2.Do not overfill the pasteles, as the glutinous rice masa will expand slightly as it steams; overstuffed parcels will burst open during cooking.
3.If using frozen banana leaves, thaw them completely in the refrigerator for 4 hours before prepping, and pat dry thoroughly to remove excess moisture that can make the masa soggy.
OMG, this recipe is a total game changer! I grew up eating my lola’s savory pastele at every family Christmas party and I’ve been chasing that flavor for years since she passed. I made this for our neighborhood potluck last weekend and every single person came back for seconds, even the folks who’d never tried Filipino food before! The 2 hour cook time is totally worth it, don’t let the medium difficulty scare you off. My kids loved it so much they asked me to make a second batch for their school lunch meal prep this week. SO good.
Really solid recipe! The flavor is spot on, though I will say the difficulty felt a little higher than medium for me as someone who’s never worked with banana leaves before — I had to re-wrap half of my pastele because the leaves cracked when I was folding them. Ended up tasting amazing regardless, I just wish there was a quick tip for softening the leaves evenly before wrapping! I made a big batch on Sunday and it’s held up perfectly for weekday lunches all week.
Made these for our family game night last week and they were a total hit! I added a handful of raisins to the filling like my mom used to do and the sweet-savory balance was chef’s kiss. My picky 7 year old ate three of them, which is unheard of for him when we try new recipes. 10/10, would make again for our next church potluck.
Wait, is this the same pastele that’s similar to tamales? I had a savory filled steamed banana leaf dish at a Filipino festival in St. Pete a few months ago and I’ve been obsessed ever since, I can’t wait to try making this at home! Quick question — can I prep the filling a day ahead to cut down on cook time the day I plan to serve these?