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Chinese Steamed Buns (Mantou)

Chinese Mantou

 My family is a very traditional Chinese family.  Although such an adherence to custom is abound in rich, cultural festivities and delicious foods, it entails quite a bit of work; below, I have outlined a dish whose history is deeply rooted in the Chinese community.

This past holiday season, I helped my mother prepare and steam these buns for the first time.  My mother, blessed with an everlasting grace, floured a large, wood cutting board, then handed each pre-portioned serving of dough over to me.  I rolled and punched, rolled and punched, rolled and punched until I had prepared all of the dough for shaping.  My mother then took over and I watched in admiration as her adept hands molded the dough and topped each with some small, dried red dates.  The balls of dough then transferred into the bamboo steamer, where they remained until they expanded to twice their original size.  During the steaming process, the dates absorbed the moisture and plumed up, adding a hint of sweetness to the soft and chewy mantou. 

 

This type of traditional bread can usually be found in Chinese bakeries and may be filled with sweet pastes, most commonly made from red adzuki beans or taro.  If you get a chance, try it -- you won't be disappointed.