Steamed Buns (Mantou)
Steamed buns, or mantou, are a staple in Chinese diets and, like toast in the US, are a popular breakfast. I grew up eating these buns and so it was really fun to learn how to make them from scratch instead of buying frozen ones at the store.
Ingredients
- 5 g instant dried yeast
- 250 ml water, (see note)
- 500 g all purpose flour
- 25 g caster sugar
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
Instructions
- Pour the water into a small bowl and dissolve the yeast in it. Transfer it to a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
- Add the flour, sugar, and oil to the mixer bowl and, on medium speed, combine the ingredients until a dough forms. Switch to the dough hook attachment and set the mixer to low. Knead the dough until smooth, about ten minutes. If the dough does not come together, add more water.
- Form the dough into a ball and let it rest for five minutes. Transfer it to a lightly floured surface and roll the dough into a 28-inch (70-cm) by 6-inch (15-cm) rectangle.
- Fold each end so they meet in the center of the dough. Roll the dough, again, into an 18-inch (45-cm) by 10-inch (25-cm) rectangle. Brush the surface of the dough with water. Roll the dough tightly from the long edge to form a log. Make sure it is very thin and tight with no spaces between the spirals.
- Slice the dough into eight equal-sized pieces. You may have some excess dough on the ends which can be discarded.
- Cut a piece of parchment paper into squares large enough for the dough slices to sit on. Place each dough slice on a piece of parchment.
- Place the dough slices in a steamer spaced approximately 1-inch (3-cm) apart so they have room to rise. Place the steamer in a warm space for the buns to rise for 20 minutes.
- Pour about 1 1/2 cups of cold water in the bottom of the steamer. Cook the buns in the steamer for about 20 minutes. You can either steam the buns in a rice cooker steamer or in a bamboo steamer on the stovetop.
- Serve the steam buns hot. Leftover buns can be steamed again before serving.
Notes
- I recommend starting with the amount of water listed in the ingredients, but when I make these I find I need a little more water. You will know if you need more water if the dough does not come together in the mixer (it will be somewhat crumbly and dry). If this happens, add more water a small amount at a time until the dough forms.
- Recipe source: Almost Bourdain
Serving: 1steamed bun, Calories: 245kcal, Carbohydrates: 51g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 1g, Sodium: 3mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 3g, NET CARBS: 50
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. This is not a comprehensive list of all the nutrients in the recipe (i.e., does not include vitamins, cholesterol, etc). I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
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