Breads

Chinese Steamed Buns (Mantou)

  • 1/2 teaspoon Active dry yeast
  • 1 tablespoons Plus 1 teaspoon Lard
  • 1 3/4 cups Bleached flour
  • 2 teaspoons Sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Baking powder
  • 5 tablespoons Milk, lukewarm
  • 1 teaspoon Vegetable oil

    • 1. Dissolve yeast in 5 tablespoons warmwater in large bowl, then set aside until foamy, about 5 minutes. Grease another large bowl with 1 teaspoons of the lard and set aside.

    2. Sift together flour,sugar, and baking powder into a medium bowl. Using your fingertips, work the remaining 1 tablespoon lard into flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Addflour mixture to yeast mixture, then add milk and stir until dough is stiff. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth, about 15 minutes. Shape dough into a ball, transfer to prepared bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm place to rise until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.

    3. Greaseslats of 2 large bamboo steamer basketswith some of the oil; set aside. Turn dough out onto a clean surface and quickly knead until smooth, then divide into 16 equal pieces. Shape pieces into balls and flatten slightly between the palms of your hands. Arrange 8 dough balls about 2-inches apart in each basket, stack one basket on top of the other, cover with steamer basket lid, and set aside in awarm place to rest for 15 minutes.

    4. Set stacked baskets over a wok of boilingwater over medium-high heat and steam until buns are puffy and tender, about 15minutes.

    Makes 16 buns.

    From Saveur Magazine July August 2002

    This recipe courtesy of the From My Kitchen Cookbook. 

    Contributed by Ronald Walton of New York, NY. 

    Visit http://www.frommykitchen.net and get your copy of From My Kitchen: Internet-ready recipe software.  Your kitchen will never be the same!