Mantou (馒头), Chinese steamed buns

In regions of northern China, Mantou is also a festive food prepared for the New Year. For this occasion, apart from regular round ones, they are made into all kinds of shapes, such as flowers, butterflies, animals, etc., and decorated with dried Chinese dates (Jujube).

Another popular variety of Mantou is Huā Juǎn (花卷, flower rolls), a layered bun seasoned with herbs, spices & oil.

A quick & easy recipe

Different from the traditional method which uses only yeast as a raising agent, my Mantou recipe calls for both yeast and baking powder which make the cooking process easier & quicker.

The yeast-only method makes great Mantou if you follow the double-proofing procedure: Leave the dough to rise until doubled in size. Shape individual buns then leave to rise again before steaming. The total resting time takes 1-2 hours depending on the room temperature (My post “Steamed Bao Buns” applies the traditional approach).

The “Yeast+baking powder” method requires only one proofing process. You can shape the buns right after the dough is formed. Just leave the buns to rise for about 30 minutes before steaming. It’s a better recipe in terms of efficiency and simplicity thus good for busy or novice home cooks.

How to make the dough

Ingredients

My recipe makes 6 medium-sized round Mantou, or 4 flower-shaped buns topped with Chinese dates. Here are what you need in hand: 

• 250g all-purpose/plain flour
• 1 teaspoon dried active yeast
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar, or to taste
• 130ml lukewarm water
• 4 Chinese dates, for flower-shaped buns only

The process is pretty simple: mix flour, yeast and baking powder. Add water gradually. Combine then knead into a very smooth dough. It should be medium-firm thus doesn’t stick to hands or the work surface.

Knead by hand

It can be quite demanding to knead the dough to a very smooth texture by hand. To make the process easier, I always give the dough a little rest soon after all the ingredients are roughly combined. Then knead until the dough appears to be evenly smooth.

Use a stand mixer

Making the dough with a stand mixer is straightforward. Knead on low speed for about 8 minutes. Take the dough out and finish off by kneading by hand for 1 minute.

How to shape Mantou

Now the dough is ready. It’s time to form them into your preferred shape (No need to rest before shaping). Divide the dough into equal sections then work on one section at a time. For this recipe, I made them into two different shapes (Please refer to my tutorial video):

Regular round shape: 

• Knead and fold the dough towards the centre of the ball without turning over. This will result in a smooth outer surface as you form the ball.
• Once you have completed this step rotate the ball between your hands to form a slightly raised shape.

Festive flower shape:

• Roll the dough piece into a long, thin rope. Fold both ends in a “J” shape in opposite directions. Then turn each end towards the centre of the rope until they meet. 
• Take a pair of chopsticks placing one either side (in the centre) and squeeze to form a flower shape. Then place a Chinese date in the centre of the flower.

How long to rest Mantou 

My easy Mantou recipe only requires one resting process (unlike the traditional method explained in Steamed Bao Buns). After shaping the buns, place them into the steamer basket to rest. Make sure to leave ample space between each bun as they will be double in size after cooking.

The resting time required varies depending on the room temperature. It takes me 30 minutes in a room at about 25°C/77°F. So if it’s cooler in yours, extend the time a little and vice versa.

Well-rested buns should be slightly bigger (not doubled in size), very smooth on the surface. When pressed gently, the dough bounces back.

How to avoid bun collapsing

Are you keen to get the smooth, flawless finished look? If so, do not overproof the buns. As shown in the image above, the smooth one on the right was rested for 30 minutes before steaming. The wrinkled one on the left had a 45 minutes rest. While steaming, the excessive air caused by over proofing has created a big air pocket inside the bun. It collapsed once the cooking stopped.

By the way, some steamed bun recipes claim that to avoid the buns collapsing, you should wait for a few minutes before you uncover the steamer. Through numerous tests, I can tell you that this advice has no value. As long as you prepare and rest the dough properly following my recipe, you can immediately remove the lid after turning off the heat (just like how dim sum chefs do).

How to steam Mantou

Use a bamboo steamer when possible

Bamboo steamers work best when it comes to bun making. As bamboo is a “breathable” material, the steam doesn’t cause condensation. Some people also believe it passes some natural bamboo aroma to the buns.

Wrap the lid if using metal ones

If using a metal steamer, I suggest you wrap its metal/glass lid with a clean tea towel. This way the condensation created during the steaming process will be absorbed by the cloth instead of dripping onto the buns affecting their smooth appearance.

Line the basket or brush oil

To avoid the buns sticking to the steamer, you need to line your basket with steamer parchment paper, like the one I use in my images (They are available in Asian shops or major online shopping platforms). You may cut out circles using regular parchment paper and place them underneath each bun. Make sure they are bigger than the uncooked buns.

Alternatively, you can brush a thin layer of oil on the basket. It’s particularly effective when using metal steamers.

What do you eat with Mantou?

Mantou is the staple food of many northern Chinese household meals. So just like how you consume steamed rice, families would eat mantou with several savoury dishes, often accompanied by something less solid, such as congee, soups, etc.

It’s also a common breakfast item. You can spread with some savoury sauce, such as fermented bean curd (Fú Rǔ/腐乳), black bean sauce (豆豉酱), etc. Or serve it like a burger, cut open then slide in a fried egg. Simple but yum!

When eating as a sweet snack, it’s very popular to dip mantou into condensed milk. Honey or jam is a great accompaniment too.

How to store and reheat

It’s so handy to have some pre-made Mantou available when you crave them. Once your leftover buns are completely cool, place them in an airtight container/plastic bag. You may keep them in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. 

Steamed buns tend to go firm and hard when they are cold. To regain their softness and fluffiness, you can simply reheat them in the steamer. It takes about 4 minutes for fridge-kept ones and 6 minutes for frozen ones (no need to defrost).

Other recipes to try

Interested in other types of Chinese bread? Have a look at these recipes:

• Chinese Doughnut Stick (You Tiao)
• Scallion Pancakes (Cong You Bing)
• Pan-fried Pork Buns (Sheng Jian Bao)
• Peking Duck Pancakes (Chun Bing)