Chinese mantou, or steamed buns, are a staple food in Chinese cuisine. These soft, fluffy buns can be enjoyed as a breakfast food or as a side dish to your favorite savory Chinese dishes. In this recipe, we’ll be making plain mantou using a poolish pre-ferment technique that gives the buns a guaranteed fluffy interior!
Chinese Mantou Recipe:
Ingredients:
Poolish Pre-Ferment:
50g flour (all purpose or bread flour both work here)
50g warm water
0.7g active dry yeast
0.5g sugar
Mantou:
150g flour
50g milk
0.5g sugar
1g active dry yeast
Yeast activating instructions:
In a bowl, add in warm liquid (milk or water) and sugar.
When the liquid temperature reaches 100-110°F, add in the yeast.
Let the mixture sit for about 10-15 mins to activate.
Done! (If after 10-15 mins there isn’t any foam or bubbling, start over with new yeast.)
Instructions:
Make the poolish by activating the yeast first, then add in the flour and mix until there isn’t any more visible dry flour.
Allow the poolish mix to rise in room temperature for about 1-2 hours, then place it into the fridge and leave it overnight.
Continue to make the mantou by activating the yeast (follow yeast activating instructions), then add in the flour and poolish pre-ferment.
Mix with a mixer on 5 for about 5-10 mins until the dough is smooth.
Prepare a steamer with 100°F water with the lid on.
Remove the dough from the mixer and roll into a log form.
Split the dough into 38g pieces and roll into ball form.
Place all the buns into the steamer and let them rise for about 30-40 mins or until doubled in size.
When risen, do not open the lid and turn on the heat to medium-high and cook for 30 mins.
Turn off the heat and let the buns sit for another 5-10 mins before opening the lid.
Done! Enjoy with your favorite Chinese dishes and eat it in place of rice!
The poolish pre-ferment technique used in this recipe gives the mantou a guaranteed fluffiness that you won’t get from just using a regular dough. The pre-ferment mixture is left to ferment overnight, which develops a rich, tangy flavor that compliments the sweetness of the mantou dough.
When steaming the mantou, it’s important to not open the lid during the rising and cooking process. This helps to maintain the steam and heat inside the steamer, which is crucial in ensuring that the mantou cooks evenly and rises to its full potential. It’s also important to not open the lid AFTER cooking and giving the mantou a few minutes to cool down and retain its shape.
Once the mantou is cooked, you can enjoy it with your favorite savory Chinese dishes, or even eat it in place of rice. These soft, fluffy buns are sure to be a hit with your family and friends. Give this recipe a try and enjoy the deliciousness of homemade Chinese mantou!
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