Mantou

Chinese steamed buns (mantou) is a staple food in Northern China, because the main harvest is wheat, rather than rice. In the past, mantou referred to all steamed buns (with or without filling), but today, it is only used for steamed buns without filling.

The name “mantou” actually has a really interesting story. If you’re interested in it’s folklore, click here. If not, continue reading and I will teach you how to make delicious mantou, it’s really simple!

Recipe
Makes: 6-8 servings
Ingredients: 500g plain flour, 250ml warm water, 7g yeast
Method:
1. Dissolve the yeast in 80ml of warm water
2. Add the yeast into the flour, combine well
3. Add the remaining warm water to the flour, combine well
4. Knead the flour into dough
5. Cover the dough and set aside, until the dough has risen to twice it’s original size (roughly 30 minutes, but depends on the temperature – will take longer on cold days).
6. Sprinkle a thin layer of flour on your tabletop (to prevent sticking), roll the dough into a thin cylindrical shape (roughly 3-5 cm wide), and cut into pieces (size depends on preference) — of course, you can make your own shapes too!
7. Place the cut dough onto a wet cloth inside your steamer, making sure to leave a gap between each (as they will rise and become bigger when cooked). Steam for 20-30 minutes on medium heat (timing changes depending on mantou size and temperature).