BPHouseWife: Flower Rolls Mantou/ Plain Chinese Steamed Bun Recipe (step by step photos)

According to Wikipedia Mantou or Chinese Steamed Bun/Bread is a kind of stemmed bun originating in China. They are typically eaten as a staple in northern parts of China where wheat, rather than rice is grown. They are made with milled wheat flour, water and leavening agents. A popular story in China relates that the name mantou actually originated from the identically written and pitched, but more heavily pronounced word mántóu meaning "barbarian's head". The name mantou is cognate to manty and mantı; these are filled dumplings in Turkish, Persian, Central Asian, and Pakistani cuisines. In Japan, manjū usually indicates filled buns, which traditionally contain bean paste or minced meat-vegetable mixture. Filled mantou are called siopao in Tagalog. In Korea, mandu can refer to both baozi and jiaozi. In Mongolia, mantuu are basically the same as the Chinese mantou. Today, I will make mantou using my favourite recipe that I adapted from http://hungerhunger.blogspot.com

Ingredients

1 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 tablespoons warm water
350 grams pau flour/low protein flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
30 grams white sugar
1 tablespoon shortening
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
*200 to 250 milliliters morning glory juice/water

*If using 250 milliliters water and kneading by hand, add in 200 milliliters first, kneading well than slowly add in the remainder 10 to 15 milliliters each time. This is to make sure that the dough is not too sticky to handle.

Directions

1. In a small bowl, mix together yeast and warm water. Stir well.
Allow to proof until yeast resembles creamy foam.

2. In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour and baking powder.
Add in shortening and combine well. Mix in yeast mixture and
sugar. Knead until dough surface is smooth and elastic. Roll
over in a greased bowl. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise
until double in bulk, about 30 minutes depending on room
temperature.

3. For Flower Rolls. Punch dough down. Knead for a few
minutes, and divide the dough into 50 grams equal pieces.(If
the dough is too sticky dust your hand and work surface lightly
with some flour). Shape each part into a ball. Flatten each ball
and roll into a small rectangle using your hand, about 4cm
wide.

4. Use a metal pastry cutter and cut the dough into strips. Brush
vegetable oil all over the surface of the strips. Take the ends
of the dough, one in each hand, and twist into a pretty roll.
Place the roll on a wax paper squares, about 6 cm square. Let
stand covered until doubled, about 30 to 45 minutes.

5. Bring water to a boil in a steamer using high heat. Transfer as
many mantou on wax paper as will comfortably fit onto
steamer and leave 1 to 2 inches between each mantou.
Cover steamer with lid. Steam mantou over boiling water for
5 minutes.