Mantou

Mantou (Simplified Chinese: 馒头; Traditional Chinese: 饅頭; Pinyin: Mántou) are plain yeast-leavened steamed wheat buns without filling. They function as a staple carbohydrate in northern Chinese meals—the unfilled counterpart to stuffed Baozi.

Characteristics

Good mantou are fluffy, evenly risen, and mildly wheaty. Variants include browned fried mantou and milk or whole-wheat doughs.

Ingredients (overview)

Wheat flour, yeast, water, and sometimes sugar or milk powder. No savory filling. Shapes are round, square, or decorative.

History and culture

Steamed bread is central to northern Chinese wheat staple culture and appears at home tables, school canteens, and restaurants as a rice alternative. Filled relatives are covered under Baozi.

Serving and variations

Eaten with dishes in place of rice, or fried as a snack. See Baozi and Chinese Snack.

See also

• Baozi
• Chinese Snack
• Jiaozi
• Scallion Pancake
• List of dishes (A-Z)