Mantou aka Chinese Steamed Buns

This Mantou recipe is vegan, using only flour, instant yeast, water, a bit of castor sugar and vegetable or olive oil.  It can be eaten plain as well as with savory or sweet accompaniments. Freshly steamed mantou which is still warm is best eaten by cutting a slit in the middle of the bun, spread with a generous amount of butter and eaten as the butter is melting..... Yum! This is my mum's favourite way of eating this fresh and warm Chinese Steamed Buns.  The thought of it makes me hungry already!

This simple recipe is adapted from Anncoo Journal, a recipe which I've tried and enjoyed making it over and over again, as and when I feel like eating.  The actual recipe is 'Pumpkin Mantou' and I've also try the recipe on sweet potato, and both are equally delicious.

Ingredients:

• 60g. pumpkin flesh (peeled and cut into pieces)
• 90g. water
• 3/4 tsp Instant Yeast
• 250g. plain flour (sifted)
• 25g. caster sugar
• 10g. vegetable oil (I use olive oil)
• 1 tbsp. black sesame seeds, toasted (I omit)

Methods:

1. Steam pumpkin till soft, mashed when still hot, and set aside to cool.
2. In a cup mix the instant yeast into the water.
3. In a big bowl add in sifted flour, caster sugar, mashed pumpkin and oil, use hand to mix the ingredients until well combined.
4. Add in the instant yeast mixture and knead to form a smooth dough, add sesame seed (if using) and continue to knead again till well mixed.
5. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rest for 15 minutes at room temperature.  The dough will rise to about double in size.
6. Dust table top with some flour.  Roll out the dough into a rectangle shape (about 13" X 6").  Brush some water on the top surface.
7. Roll up the dough like a Swiss roll and cut into small pieces (size according to your liking) and put on a small piece of baking paper each.
8. Arrange the mantou into a steamer and proof for 20 minutes or until it has risen to about double in volume.
9. Turn the heat to high and as soon as it starts to boil lower heat to medium and steam mantou for 15 minutes.  However, more steaming time is needed if you are making a bigger mantou.

Pumpkin Mantou

Orange Sweet Potato Mantou

Sweet Potato Mantou with toasted black sesame seeds

Notes:  During the process of making these mantou, I am also trying to experiment them. What I found out is that, if you prefer a softer texture add a little bit more water into the dough, but add them bit by bit as we knead the dough along the way.  Too much water will makes the dough too soft and sticky and we are not able to roll them.  Couldn't wait to make some purple mantou with the purple sweet potato ~ smile ~