Chinese Buns, southern style - steamed and fried (馒头)

Steamed buns! There's a few different varieties of Mantou out there, so for this recipe we wanted to show you the classic southern sort. They're a bit more straightforward than some of the other Chinese buns out there, so we figured it'd be a solid place to start.
So the Reddit link has a bit of... superfluous content. I also watched to share how this most recent coronavirus lockdown's sort of altered my way of looking at cooking, the Mantou recipe's at the end:
/ what_the_coronavirus_f...
And of course, if you don't feel like listening to my rambling on the topic and just want the recipe, here it is over on Patreon. Free post and all, no worries:
/ 33819241
While we actually we able to nab a bit of our own B-Roll in Guizhou this time, as always the bit showing the Northern mantou is courtesy of Trevor James a.k.a. the Food Ranger. Huge thank you to him for being continuously awesome and always letting us use bits and pieces of their footage. That bit was from their Kaifeng episode, one of their best IMO. Check out their full video here:
• The DEEPEST Street Foo...
And check out our Patreon if you'd like to support the project!
/ chinesecookingdemystified
Outro Music: "Add And" by Broke For Free
/ broke-for-free
ABOUT US
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Learn how to cook real deal, authentic Chinese food! We post recipes every Friday (unless we happen to be travelling) :)
We're Steph and Chris - a food-obsessed couple that lives in Shunde, China. Steph is from Guangzhou and loves cooking food from throughout China - you'll usually be watching her behind the wok. Chris is a long-term expat from America that's been living in China and loving it for the last eleven years - you'll be listening to his explanations and recipe details, and doing some cooking at times as well.
This channel is all about learning how to cook the same taste that you'd get in China. Our goal for each video is to give you a recipe that would at least get you close to what's made by some of our favorite restaurants here. Because of that, our recipes are no-holds-barred Chinese when it comes to style and ingredients - but feel free to ask for tips about adaptations and sourcing too!

[@ChineseCookingDemystified]

Hey guys, a few notes: 1. So there’s two types of the Northern laomian mantou - the harder, denser kind and the softer sort. And while for both it’s most traditional that they use a sourdough starter, often these days they’re amped up with yeast as well (and some people use solely yeast). 2. “Laomian” is kind of an awkward thing to translate. What it is is a sourdough starter. The difference is that in Chinese baking stuff like sodium carbonate is also added to the dough to neutralize the sour taste. Though to be completely honest when we’ve tested the laomian mantou I personally kinda liked them when they were slightly sour… 3. If you’re really itching to try the Southwestern sort, Dianxi Xiaoge has a recipe here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h5jIeHl4ltmSiNE We’ll get to it eventually, promise - the annoying bit is that you need to make your own laozao (which she shows how to do in the video), because the bottles you get outside don’t have active bacteria inside. 4. As an aside, there’s a lot of these sort of ‘village cooking’ videos/channels on the Chinese language internet, and of them all Dianxi Xiaoge is probably our favorite of that genre (though Wang Gang is by far our favorite straight up cooking channel). Steph loves her stuff - real proper Yunnan cooking - but if you’re anything like me (Chris)… I just can’t stand the music lol. The other day I found my favorite way to watch Dianxi though… open their video in one tab, put the volume quite low, then in another tab play some Yunnan reggae… kzbin.info/www/bejne/f4nFYX6En5lgipI … weirdly works with the pacing of their cuts haha 5. Thanks for all the concern and well wishes during these rough times. We’ve been inside basically for the last two weeks… walk the dog up of the roof and huddle up for 7/11 runs every other day or so. If you’re interested in seeing what we’ve cooked during this lockdown, check out our Instagram… Steph’s been keeping track under her “cookupinlockdown” tag haha. instagram.com/explore/tags/cookupinlockdown/ As an aside, the Reddit post is going to also have a whole “what the last two weeks have taught us about food/cooking”, so I’ll also link a public post over on Patreon for a just-the-facts recipes.

[@mynameisandong]

Finally someone who figured out a perfect hack to fix Dianxi Xiaoge's otherwise fantastic videos :D Stay safe guys, love the video as always!

[@Josh_Fredman]

I appreciate you both still working so hard despite the difficulties! Your video is a great example of how life goes on. I hope everyone stays healthy and eats lots of good homemade food. =D

[@intarc0giotto]

the funny thing is we have something very similar in south west germany, it is called dampfnudel (steamnoodle) and they are mantou fried and steamed in a deep pan with (with the lid on) with either water salt and butter or milk and sugar. the salt water and butter is the more authentic version and you eat it with potato soup

[@dioXxXtyler]

Been absolutely hooked on the videos you guys put out immediately sub'd and slowly watching all of them great info secrets and tips on all these chinese dishes I was wondering If you guys could try Hoi nan Chicken sometime? Thanks keep up the great work!!

[@doriosity5811]

I think the western equivalent for Lao Mian would be barm

[@alexrentz5191]

"it is a touch annoying to buy more because it is the.... apocalypse outside." is probably the most hilariously nonchalant thing I've heard today.

[@abcdefghijkli]

Seriously though, keep safe guys

[@uasj2]

Well... “hilarious” is the wrong word against the horror of a deadly pandemic wrecking lives and livelihoods. I wish I could find the word for laughing bravely in the face of tragedy and congratulate Chris for that instead.

[@ryanflores2489]

It finally hit my city, he ain't kidding it's hell......

[@DuvJones]

We had to find something to pull though.

[@Nocturne22]

"Not all our children need to be above average." I felt that.

[@BryanCheong]

Ooof.

[@Lemoncholy7]

As a below average sibling compared to my brothers and sisters, I felt that too 😭😅

[@TONYA65050]

A Prairie Home Companion!

[@RovingPunster]

As a former chronically above average child, i'm trying to relate to the meme ... and (uncharacteristically) i'm failing. 😉

[@theyarnycaterpillar3563]

Every child has it own talents. No need to be exact clones. 1 got humor, other 1 got brains 🤣 Some get both.

[@AliShaikh1]

Northern Mantou to Southern Mantou: "What are you lookin at, Smoothskin"

[@yamiyukiko7362]

Your doggo pawing at you at the end was adorable. It was like "pleeease feed me!"

[@Bear-cm1vl]

There is a reason Southerners in the US call fried cornbread dough made along with barbequed pork, "hush puppies". 😁

[@HelloHello-vk5ob]

Bear U oh shit!

[@heidymadia3065]

i think the doggo be like "pleeease pet me!" 13/10

[@johnnychang4233]

5:24 Love how the 🐶 beg for his share ❤

[@oblivionscall]

When I was in China my friends who couldn't handle spicy food survived on mostly Mantou so this brings back memories.

[@a_pet_rock]

Because baker's percentage's are so helpful. 200g flour 45% water 10% sugar 1% yeast 1 tsp baking soda

[@ChineseCookingDemystified]

Also 1% baking powder. Same amount as the yeast, forgot to list out the weight there (my bad, was going to scribble it on the screen but blanked on it)

[@fernandoramirez3412]

And a hundred percent reason to remember the name

[@oPeRa1923]

Hi, I have the kind of yeast that's no longer needed to be activated in warm water. This is the first time i'm trying the recipe... so I would like to know if this is also okay? 😊

[@boa9535]

Chinese Cooking Demystified: Sorry but could you translate that into non baking percentages.? I don’t know what “a pet rock” was referring to. I can though translate grams, etc. into US measurements. I don’t use reddit or Instagram and don’t want to. Thank you.

[@peabody1976]

@@boa9535 First water mixture: 45 g water/20 g sugar; Second water mixture: 45 g water/2 g dry yeast (1 tsp). 45 g water is just under 2 oz (1/4 US cup) water. 20 g sugar is 0.7 dry oz sugar, or 4.2 tsp.

[@pmchamlee]

Began Study of Chinese in 1965 - - - still study it daily in 12/2023 - - enjoy you both immensely and thank you for your efforts! 永遠的朋友。

[@aleksandrmikhail3803]

i know it's unapropriate and somewhat insensitive.... but i laugh so hard when you said "apocalypse outside" good video and hope you stay well and healthy.....

[@switchfoot-7777]

Its also risky, rumors say that you can get up to 7years if the Government doesn't like the information or the way you present it. (About the Virus) The doctor that rang the warning bells was taken to a police station and forced to sign a paper stating that he had spread malicious rumors to do harm to society. Sadly the doctor recently died.

[@ChineseCookingDemystified]

In my opinion... in this kind of situation, you *have* to be able to laugh about it. It's healthy and normal, I think. Otherwise it's just a downward spiral... Though just an addendum, that kind of joke/aside is decidedly not risky, even if it was on the Chinese language internet. But yeah, that story's hit us all hard... Li Wenliang, rest in peace.

[@PaulMab9]

@@ChineseCookingDemystified hope you both stay safe and healthy.

[@AuAlvin]

@@ChineseCookingDemystified Yeah....R.I.P Dr. Li. May the honest and kind men will be blessed.

[@halterify4346]

Look how it all played out a year later

[@888SpinR]

"Not all our children need to be above average" 4:11 casually cuts away the below-average mantou

[@pianoforte611]

3:35 "It's a touch annoying to buy more because it's the apocalypse outside" Hate it when that happens. Seriously though, thanks for updating us on the situation. I realize the risk to any single person is low, but the cumulative effects on the population along with the preventative measures sound pretty stressful to be going through.

[@Virulain]

Hope you all remain well and that the quarantine ends soon. Thank you for continuing to publish videos. I hope it's a good distraction!

[@ChineseCookingDemystified]

Video games are the ultimate distraction ;) But now that I've finished Disco Elysium, I guess there's not much left for me to do but be a productive human being lol

[@salamonandris]

@@ChineseCookingDemystified You've got great taste in both food and games mate ;)

[@kommissarkush2402]

@@ChineseCookingDemystified I would highly recommend Monster Hunter World: Iceborne.

[@whywhy6055]

Chinese Cooking Demystified if it’s available I would also highly recommend Football Manager 2020

[@phantasmaleye3879]

I just watch China Uncensored all day hehehe

[@putrijoyceirawati2638]

This is the best mantou recipe I have ever tried!!! Mine came out perfect and soft and portioned perfectly for 2 people! Thank you so much for this recipe, you guys.

[@Crunchyasf]

For the ikea table: Bolt it to the goddamn floor Use silicone grips A medium-stron double sided tape/ glue Surround the legs each in 20+kg rice/sand bags Have a few people hug each leg of the table under the camera

[@Son_of_Mandalore]

Love this channel. You've taught me so much and Iove trying your recipes... I'm terrible at them but I'm getting better with your help. Thanks

[@eumoria]

I work in the live music industry so I would cover the table (out of frame) in sandbags. Then I would replace the table lol. Your dough machine is stronger than your table!

[@ChineseCookingDemystified]

Bags of kitty litter, got it ;)

[@kommissarkush2402]

I think the term 'laomian' '老面' stands for a special technique that at some staple food joint, they will preserve a very old mantou dough, and use a small bit of it every time making a new batch of new mantou, like passing down a generation of good yeast and flavour and texture. Sometimes these 'laomian' can be passed for generations of mantou makers. Also, stay safe dude.

[@jonathanng138]

This used to be my favourite breakfast as a child thanks I still love this a lot

[@omggiiirl2077]

It's crazy how this one food, and its name has spread all over Asia, and means different things to each respective culture.

[@GoodCookingIdeas]

I love the buns so much! This video brings up the memories in Guandong. Thanks for sharing!

[@kaceyglitter]

Thank you for sharing this recipe and in-depth explanation.

[@stupendouskevin]

THERE IS A DOG?! WHAT

[@frograin9465]

THERE IS A DOG?! WHAT

[@mauz791]

THERE IS A DOG?! WHAT

[@brucea3103]

WHAT IS A DOG?! THERE

[@bbtan]

WHAT IZ SCHNAUZER!?

[@islandbreeze2102]

So cute!! I want to see the cute doggie!!

[@doraima29]

Thank you for sharing the mantou recipes especially coming from Guandong. Its pretty easy to make. Great learning there are 2 more types made from sourdough starter.

[@SeriousPony]

Ate southern style mantou in Beijing. Served exactly like that (4 deep-fried, 4 steamed) with condensed milk. Thanks for the tutorial!

[@ShoutingKuyaWill]

Hope you guys are safe. Thanks for sharing these wonderful recipes.

[@Magius61]

Thanks for posting despite the chaos. You’re my favourite people I don’t actually know in China. I hope you weather the storm ok.

[@CourtneyinSF]

Thanks for keeping a sense of humor during this crisis, you made me laugh! I am so sorry you are in the middle of it, please keep safe and you are in my thoughts.

[@DawnBurn]

I'm glad you are doing okay and thanks for the video!

[@fizzys0da_]

I've been wanting a good recipe ;A; tysm you guys are lifesavers

[@blastwave1401]

Oh man this is a subject very near and dear to my heart. I was a bread Baker in college and tried to make sourdough buns that all failed hilariously. Making sourdough mantou is a passion project. Please go over both the sourdough methods in the future!

[@MHChrono]

Great video! Looking forward to the Northern Style for sure! I love making sourdough at home!

[@crayfishtwo5238]

One of my favorite foods! Yumos!!! 😊 enjoyed the commentary 👍

[@lailanilsson6553]

Looks soo good! It's nothing wrong with your kitchen. Good job by the way!

[@islandbreeze2102]

Thank you for the great work. Hope you guys stay safe and well.

[@randomvids8390]

This is amazing, thank you for this recipe 😊

[@Anesthesia069]

These looks delicious; I will definitely have to try them. I'm really interested - being a predominantly sourdough baker - in the northern style, so fingers crossed you are able to show us those soon!

[@nalykazule1582]

Made your egg foo young recipe last night. Couldn't find any Chinese cooking wine, so I had to leave it out. Pretty dang solid. Also thanks for teaching me how to actually use a wok. Heating it up 1st helps immensely. Cheers! And keep up the great work

[@Jimunu]

I have been looking for recipes on this. Thank you.

[@DenisJava]

Things were going along pretty well, then all of a sudden DOG!! What a way to level up! The insistent paw, I'm so familiar with that. What a cutie.

[@MxBryn]

Your kitchen burners are amazing! 😍

[@DavidHatesNewYoutube]

I greatly appreciate this recipe. I tried making your baozi a couple weeks ago for the first time and did a horrendous job working the dough around the filling (still delicious, though). Will definitely be trying this to get more familiar with working/steaming dough.

[@RasBuyaka]

Thank you so much for carrying on making videos despite the ongoing apocalypse!

[@shyhhorng1956]

Great tips. Thanks!

[@erinhowett3630]

I've been wondering about you two during the outbreak. I hope you guys stay safe and healthy and happy 😊

[@yukenduit1149]

I subscribed! Loved these kinds of vids

[@Digital_Media_and_Food_Systems]

Many thanks for this. Love fried mantou to mop up mapo tofu. And also for all the other videos.

[@OptimusWombat]

Southern steamed mantou eaten with Singaporean chilli crab is the best thing ever. Nothing soaks up the sauce quite the same way,

[@tbdlater5690]

Glad you're well.

[@94JAVS]

Thanks for this videos guys!

[@PDXSPAF]

5:28 cute pup! Reminds me of the schnauzers I had growing up.

[@erinmcgann2763]

Oh god I love deep-fried mantou a little too much. I introduced my son to it recently and his eyes went soooo big. Yeah I know kid, it's the best. 😂

[@peteradaniel]

Your dog is such a star. I love the way he stares at the end of every episode.

[@oPeRa1923]

Thank you! This is one of my favorites, especially when paired with Salted Egg Crabs. I tried this in Singapore, and yes, the fried ones are absolutely awesom. 😍😍😍

[@Digital_Media_and_Food_Systems]

I agree. Much prefer the fried mantou,.

[@eedricdude]

Thanks for another great video! Stay safe and stay healthy!

[@hallobre]

The dog was like “mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, MOM LOOK AT MEEEEH”

[@jonjon3378]

Nothing makes me quite as hungry as looking at a smooth steamed bun.

[@spaindavid1125]

I hope this video goes viral right off the bat!

[@CookingPulse]

Love this chinease buns😍,hade them twice but never tried to make them.Big thumbs up10x

[@mariacardoso3765]

They are great indeed👍

[@quinngrodzins2068]

Ok so Kawa is the best music I've found recently thank you

[@slimechannelPH]

Wow! Your mantou looked so legit!

[@britzwickit]

yum that looks delicious!

[@MowlousSmileyRambo]

Yes ...... finally know how to make deep fried mantou ........ the bun that you keep deeping into delicious sauce and can't have enough of it.

[@sceptre1067]

saw your reddit article, hoping the best for y’all!

[@vegetarianmeat]

i love this channel so much. keep safe you two

[@terencesakamoto4416]

I’m from China and I’m primarily watching your videos as my recipes 😂 great job!

[@MrJotarok]

wow your steamer is beautiful!

[@kattylam1703]

Thanks for the recipe. I wanted to ask, if I dont have that bamboo steamer, what can I use to replace it? Thanks.

[@mickmock8986]

@5:20 i love doggy so much , i like how he paws you

[@DefaultName-pt5cu]

I just read the NPR article on creative cooking due to lack of ingredients. Keep up the good work!

[@paulaxdeen]

Love you guys!!!!!

[@toothgnash]

I'm impatiently waiting for your video on the northern style. We've had major shortages of commercial yeast in stores - so I'm currently only making breads with sourdough starter. (And looking for new ways to use it as it needs to be fed and used regularly) Also: your dog slays me each time.

[@rowluxillusion5235]

Glad you're back posting, I hope you guys are well.

[@ChineseCookingDemystified]

Cheers! Yeah going a little stir-crazy staying inside for the last two weeks... but hey, c'est la guerre.

[@rowluxillusion5235]

@@ChineseCookingDemystified It's pretty scary end of the world stuff. My son is at international school, all the kids from China, Sing, etc if they go home for the coming holidays are not allowed back to school for another 2 weeks from when they get back. Stay safe.

[@jadecummings8093]

This is very interesting here, never seen it from China before. I hope it's tastes so good, thanks for sharing! 😀👍

[@graefx]

Hope you're able to show the south western type. Of the three that sounds the most interesting though the northern sounds much more to my tastes. Stay safe and healthy out there and thanks for the uploads.

[@barrelrolldog]

thanks for this! been out of asia for a couple months and was mega craving some deep fried condensed milk mantou. these came out perfect.

[@gavindremusic]

I need to try this!

[@callumhinwood8314]

I’d really love to see a xiao long bao recipe

[@StormyP101]

Lil doggo is so cute!

[@TheVanillaBean]

I made the double flavored Chinese mantou buns on my KZbin channel too! Love your video!

[@elijahmikhail4566]

Your dog is a cutie. Our dog does the same when we’re eating. Hope the epidemic and chaos finally blows over, and you guys can go out again as normal.

[@uselessgeneral1299]

That aged like milk

[@dianasayson2846]

It's the Apocalypse outside! Make mantou! 😊 Thanks for this. ❤

[@nurlagrande]

Love you guys, it’s the apocalypse outside uno😂😂 don’t worry bro we’re all going down🤷‍♀️keep up the great vids

[@gibberishname]

I was a bit worried you weren't going to give that VERY GOOD BOY/GIRL a treat. luckily I watched ALL THE WAY to the end.

[@ChineseCookingDemystified]

Yeah most of the stuff we whip up he can't eat (lots of human food's pretty terrible for dogs), but mantou's fine, so he got some this time.

[@amythestwarrington8362]

I found you after I read a PBS article about you being quarantined but still cooking and now my school is closed and it is recommended we stay inside.... so I am going to try and make some of your recipes! I studied in Jingdezhen @ JCI for a semester and I really miss the food. I am sure excited to try and make these delicious dishes myself. Too bad no one can come over to share in the deliciousness. Do you have the recipe for the fermented rice version posted somewhere?

[@club789456]

YESS!! Thank you so much!!

[@clementchinsterer]

always enjoyed your tube. now I know the difference of mantua. excellent detail and explaination help a lot. pl touch on food history. Always looking forward to your interesting and skilful tubes on food. very educational too. tqvm.

[@ChineseCookingDemystified]

Next video'll be a fully food culture/history one devoted entirely to caiziyou :) Then the one after that should be another one with simple to use ingredients like this... then hopefully after THAT we can get back to our normal content haha. Been waiting to do squirrel fish for a while now...

[@A_T216]

THOSE CAT BOWLS ARE SO CUTE AHHH

[@Lemoncholy7]

Do more desserts! Love it!

[@raissaferreira1101]

This recipe is amazing, I think I've done it four times or more already. But I have a question: what's the size of your bambu steamer? I would like to buy one but I'm not certain about the ideal size. A video about the theme would greatly help beginners on Chinese tools and equipments as me. Greetings from Brazil.

[@faildyke]

"rolling it into a stupid ugly ball" i cackled

[@ws.hicks14]

It’s good to see that you guys are still okay; hope the virus goes away soon.

[@comnieud2]

Thanks for your super instruction! Should we need some salt for your recipe?

[@SahanTheMighty]

Love it 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽🧡

[@somefreshbread]

Stay safe. Love from America.

[@iluvfood12]

I can't wait for the written recipe

[@EpicVideoMaster11]

Thankies

[@ao-rg7uf]

Tq for d recipe...

[@RiamsWorld]

Is one of those styles the base for the lotus leaf buns for gua bao sandwiches?

[@johnleegolf]

I am enjoying your vlog and keep up the good work. Also I hope you guys the best wishes and take a good care of the current nCorona situation.