Mantou (馒头), Chinese steamed buns

• servings: 6 servings
• active time: 10 minutes
• total time: 52 minutes

Ingredients

250 g all-purpose (aka plain flour)

1 teaspoon instant yeast (or dry active yeast)

¾ teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon sugar (or to taste)

130 g lukewarm water (see note 1)

4 Chinese dates (for flower-shaped buns, optional)

Directions

Prepare the dough

IF KNEADING BY HAND: Mix flour, yeast, baking powder and sugar. Add water gradually. Mix with chopsticks/spatula until no more loose flour can be seen. Combine and knead briefly into a dough. Leave to rest for 10 minutes (covered). Knead again until very smooth.

IF KNEADING WITH A STAND MIXER: Mix flour, yeast, baking powder, sugar and water in the bowl. Knead on low speed until a very smooth dough forms (about 8 minutes).

Shape the buns

IF MAKING ROUND BUNS: Divide the dough into 6 pieces (4 pieces if you prefer bigger buns). Knead and fold the dough piece towards the centre of the ball resulting in a smooth outer surface. Rotate the ball between your hands to form a slightly raised shape (Please refer to the video below).

IF MAKING FLOWER BUNS: Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Roll one piece into a long, thin rope. Fold both ends in a “J” shape in opposite directions. 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. Place a Chinese date in the centre of the flower.

Rest the buns

Place the buns in the steamer basket (line with steamer parchment paper or brush a thin layer of oil to avoid sticking). Make sure to leave ample space between each bun.

Leave to rest for around 30 minutes. Well-rested buns should be slightly bigger (not double the size) and very smooth on the surface. When pressed gently, the dough bounces back (see note 2).

Steam the buns

Place the steaming basket onto a pot/wok filled with cold water. Start cooking with high heat (see note 3).

Turn down to medium-low once the water is at a full boil. Count 10 mins from this moment (add 2 mins if your buns are bigger). Serve warm.

Store the buns

Once completely cooled, place the buns in an airtight container/plastic bag. Keep in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Reheat the buns

Steam fridge-kept buns for 5 mins. If frozen, steam for 7 mins (without defrosting).

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 bun
• Calories: 166 kcal
• Total Fat: 1 g
• Saturated Fat: 0.1 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0.3 g
• Sodium: 55 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 35 g
• Dietary Fiber: 2 g
• Total Sugars: 2 g
• Protein: 5 g