Shapely Steamed Buns (man tou)

I love eating steamed buns (pronounced "man tou" in Chinese).
What is also fun, is making the steamed buns.
What is even more fun, is making the steamed buns into fun shapes and sizes!

What to learn more about steam buns/man tou?
Mantou sometimes known as Chinese steamed bun, is a kind of steamed bun originating from China. It is typically eaten as a staple in Northern parts of China where wheat rather than rice is grown. Made with milled wheat flour, water and leavening agents, they are similar in nutrition and eating qualities to the white bread of the West. A similar food, but with a filling inside, is baozi.

Last weekend, I took the time to make some fresh homemade steamed buns.
Below are the proportions and instructions.

To see my Steamed-Bun-Making photos, go here:

Making Steam Buns (Man Tou)

http://picasaweb.google.com/xJenniferLinx/MakingSteamBunsManTou


Steamed Buns (Man Tou)

Ingredients:

- 4 cups of flour

- 1/2 cup of sugar

- 1.5 cups of warm water

- Slightly less than 1 tbsp of yeast

Instructions:
1. In a cup, pour the yeast into half a cup of warm water. Sit for 15 minutes

2. Mix together the flour and sugar

3. In a giant mixing bowl, make a hole in the center, and pour in the yeast mixture, and the remaining cup of warm water

4. Thoroughly mix the ingredients together.

5. Cover the bowl and let the dough sit for 15 minutes.
6. Knead the dough.

7. Return the dough to the bowl and let it sit in a warm room for an hour or two. The dough should rise.

8. Knead the dough.

9. Roll the dough into small buns. You can also make the buns into creative shapes and sizes (look at my photo gallery for my shapes).

10. Get your steamer ready by boiling some water.

11. Line the steamer with a wet towel, or paper towel, and set your buns in the steamer, about 2 inches apart.

12. Steam for about 15 minutes.

Enjoy!