Kid-friendly Marvelous "Mantou" Chinese Steamed Buns + Savory Black Bean Sauce Recipe - Sticky Fingers Cooking
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Family Meal Plan: Marvelous "Mantou" Chinese Steamed Buns + Savory Black Bean Sauce + "Water You Cooking Up?" Flavored Water

Family Meal Plan: Marvelous "Mantou" Chinese Steamed Buns + Savory Black Bean Sauce

Marvelous "Mantou" Chinese Steamed Buns + Savory Black Bean Sauce + "Water You Cooking Up?" Flavored Water

by Dylan Sabuco , Dylan Sabuco
Photo by Dylan Sabuco
prep time
20 minutes
cook time
22 minutes
makes
4-6 servings

Fun Food Story

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Marvelous "Mantou" Chinese Steamed Buns

Chinese steamed buns are a staple in Chinese cuisine. They are enjoyed as snacks, main dishes, or sides and are often served with dipping sauces. These soft, fluffy pockets of yeasted dough come in two main types: mantou, which are unfilled, and bao, which are similar except that they are filled with ingredients like barbecued pork, vegetables, soup, or sweet pastes. There are so many tasty options; it’s almost bun-believable! This recipe is for mantou, the unfilled buns, because they’re a perfect place to start.

There’s something incredibly soothing about working with the soft, pillowy dough. As you knead and shape each bun, you’re connecting with a centuries-old tradition and bringing a piece of Chinese culinary history into your kitchen. 

And when you finally lift the lid off the steamer, the kitchen fills with the comforting aroma of warm, freshly steamed bread—simple yet so satisfying. Try it with Savory Black Bean Sauce—you’ll be glad you did!

Happy & Healthy Cooking,

Chef Erin, Food-Geek-in-Chief
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Shopping List

  • FRESH
  • 1/4 inch fresh ginger root
  • 1 garlic clove
  • PANTRY
  • 2 1/2 C all-purpose flour **(see allergy subs below)**
  • 1 T granulated sugar
  • 1 pkg active dry yeast OR instant yeast
  • 1 big pinch salt
  • 1 15-oz can black beans **(see allergy subs below)**
  • 1 vegetable bouillon cube **
  • 1 T soy sauce **(see allergy subs below)**
  • 2 tsp rice wine vinegar
  • 1 T vegetable oil **
  • 2 tsp granulated sugar or honey
  • 2 tsp cornstarch
  • HAVE ON HAND
  • 2 3/4 C water
  • "WATER YOU COOKING UP?" FLAVORED WATER (OPTIONAL)
  • 4 C water
  • 2 C ice
  • Choose 1 or more of the following fresh ingredients to flavor your water:
  • 1 cucumber
  • 1 lime
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 orange
  • 1 mint sprig

Fun-Da-Mentals Kitchen Skills

  • measure :

    to calculate the specific amount of an ingredient required using a measuring tool (like measuring cups or spoons).

  • mix :

    to thoroughly combine two or more ingredients until uniform in texture.

  • roll :

    to use a rolling pin to flatten dough; use your hands to form a roll or ball shape; or move a round food, like a grape or a meatball, through another food, like sugar or breadcrumbs, to coat it.

  • sauté :

    to cook or brown food in a pan containing a small quantity of butter, oil, or other fat.

  • slice :

    to cut into thin pieces using a sawing motion with your knife.

  • steam :

    to cook food by heating it in the steam from boiling water.

  • stir :

    to mix together two or more ingredients with a spoon or spatula, usually in a circle pattern, or figure eight, or in whatever direction you like!

Equipment Checklist

  • Oven
  • Muffin pan
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Measuring cups
  • Measuring spoons
  • Wooden spoon
  • Cutting board
  • Medium saucepan
  • Can opener
  • Pitcher
  • Kid-safe knife
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Ingredients

Marvelous "Mantou" Chinese Steamed Buns

  • 2 1/2 C all-purpose flour **(for GLUTEN ALLERGY sub gluten-free/nut-free flour)**
  • 1 T granulated sugar
  • 1 pkg active dry yeast OR instant yeast
  • 1 big pinch salt
  • 1 3/4 C water, divided

Savory Black Bean Sauce

  • 1 15-oz can black beans (for LEGUME ALLERGY sub 1 red bell pepper, diced, if no nightshade allergy present)**
  • 1 vegetable bouillon cube **
  • 1 C water
  • 1 T soy sauce **(for GLUTEN ALLERGY sub liquid aminos; for SOY/GLUTEN ALLERGY sub coconut aminos)**
  • 2 tsp rice wine vinegar
  • 1 garlic clove, grated
  • 1 tsp grated ginger
  • 1 T vegetable oil **
  • 2 tsp granulated sugar or honey
  • 2 tsp cornstarch

"Water You Cooking Up?" Flavored Water

  • 4 C water
  • 2 C ice
  • Choose 1 or more of the following fresh ingredients to flavor your water:
  • 1 cucumber
  • 1 lime
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 orange
  • 1 mint sprig

Food Allergen Substitutions

Marvelous "Mantou" Chinese Steamed Buns

  • Gluten/Wheat: Substitute gluten-free/nut-free all-purpose flour

Savory Black Bean Sauce

  • Legume: For 1 15-oz can black beans, substitute 1 red bell pepper, diced, if no nightshade allergy is present.
  • Gluten/Soy/Nightshade: Check bouillon label for possible allergens and, if necessary, use water only.
  • Gluten/Wheat: Substitute liquid aminos or coconut aminos for soy sauce.
  • Soy: Substitute coconut aminos for soy sauce. Substitute canola oil or other nut-free oil for vegetable oil.

 

 

Instructions

Marvelous "Mantou" Chinese Steamed Buns

1.
intro

"Nǐ hǎo" (Nee how) or "Hello" in Chinese! Mantou (MAN-toe) is a traditional bread bun commonly served as a side dish in China and other Asian countries. Often, these buns are served with sticky sauces to dunk them in. This bread is special because the yeasty dough is steamed instead of baked, resulting in an ultra-fluffy and (surprisingly) crispy bread. When you are ready to eat at the end of the recipe, be sure to tear your mantou open and dunk it in Savory Black Bean Sauce or any other favorite sauces you have.

2.
measure + stir

Measure 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 package yeast, and 1 cup water into a large bowl. Stir a few times and let stand for 5 minutes. Practice counting to 10 in Chinese while you stir: 1 yī (eee), 2 èr (arr), 3 sān (sahn), 4 sì (ssuh), 5 wǔ (woo), 6 lìu (lee-oh), 7 qī (tchee), 8 bā (bah), 9 jiǔ (j-oh), 10 shí (shir).

3.
scrumptious science

Even though yeast looks like large grains of sand, it is actually a living organism. Yeast is a label broadly used to describe about 1,500 different kinds of fungi. This means that yeast makes up about one percent of the fungus you would come across in the world. The type we are using today is called active dry yeast. It means that the yeast is alive but sleeping in its container. To "wake up" the yeast, you will need to feed it its favorite breakfast: sugar! Once the yeast begins eating the sugar, it creates a byproduct: carbon dioxide. (I like to think of the yeast as burping little, itty bitty burps from eating the sugar too fast!) This carbon dioxide will later be trapped inside the naan dough you are creating in this recipe, which is super important for making a light, fluffy texture.

4.
measure + knead

Measure and add 2 1/2 cups of flour and 1 big pinch of salt to the bowl. Stir to combine, then pour the mixture onto a clean surface and start kneading. Kneading consists of pressing with the heel of your hands and folding the dough repeatedly for about 5 minutes until a smooth, stretchy texture is achieved.

5.
measure + steam

Divide the dough into 12 to 14 equal pieces. Roll the dough into smooth balls. Then, add 1 tablespoon of water to each well of the muffin pan. Preheat your oven to 375 F. Place the muffin pan in the oven while it preheats. Once the oven is preheated, carefully remove the pan and add each dough ball to the water-filled wells. Slide the muffin pan into the oven and cook for 12 minutes or until the mantou puffs can come cleanly out of the pan.

6.
dunk + munch

Dunk the mantou in the sauce of your choice, like Savory Black Bean Sauce. You can also rip the buns open and fill them with sauce. Either way, "Chī hǎo hē hǎo" (Chuh how huh how) or "Enjoy your meal" in Chinese!

Savory Black Bean Sauce

1.
measure + simmer

For this super simple and tasty sauce, into a medium saucepan, measure and combine 1 can of black beans, 1 vegetable bouillon cube, 1 cup water, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar, 1 grated garlic clove, 1 teaspoon grated ginger, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 2 teaspoons sugar, and 2 teaspoons cornstarch. Simmer for about 10 minutes until a thick, spreadable sauce forms. Stir the sauce as often as you like along the way.

2.
serve + dunk

Black bean sauce is a Chinese food staple. Often it is served as a condiment with a variety of different dishes. Serve your Savory Black Bean Sauce alongside Marvelous "Mantou" Chinese Steamed Buns. Dip, dunk, and devour! "Ganbei" (gahn bay) or "Cheers" in Chinese!

"Water You Cooking Up?" Flavored Water

1.
chop + measure + stir

Choose the flavor of water you will be making. Simply slice whatever fresh ingredients you chose and place them into a pitcher. Measure and add 4 cups of water and 2 cups of ice. Stir a few times and then serve.

Surprise Ingredient: Baker's Yeast!

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Photo by Galiyah Assan/Shutterstock.com

Hi! I'm Baker's Yeast!

"Did you know that I'm a living organism? If you add baker's yeast to dough, it will cause your bread, cinnamon rolls, doughnuts, and more to rise up! Just add me to warm water with a little sugar (which I love to eat) and wait at least five minutes until I burp some gas bubbles (excuse me!) and get foamy at the top before adding me to your flour and other ingredients!"

  • Yeasts are single-celled, microscopic members of the fungus kingdom. Baker's yeast is from the species Saccharomyces cerevisiae. It is the strain of yeast used to leaven (or raise) bread and other types of dough. It is also used in beer and winemaking. 
  • There are several varieties of baker's yeast: active dry yeast, compressed yeast, cream yeast, deactivated yeast, instant yeast, and rapid-rise yeast. Home bakers and Sticky Fingers Cooking chef instructors generally use active dry yeast, instant yeast, or rapid-rise yeast when baking. 
  • Active dry yeast must be activated by adding a warm liquid, like water or milk. Its granules are larger than the other dry yeasts, instant and rapid-rise, which do not have to be rehydrated (or proofed). 
  • The word "yeast" comes from the Old English "gist," of Germanic origin, from an Indo-European root "yes-," meaning to "boil," "foam," or "bubble."
  • Baker's yeast has some protein, fiber, B vitamins, and potassium; however, the amount you would get from a packet of active dry yeast distributed throughout a dough would be minimal.
  • Nutritional yeast, a deactivated yeast, contains more protein, fiber, B vitamins, and potassium than active dry yeast. People who eat a vegan or vegetarian diet often add nutritional yeast to foods to supplement these nutrients and add a nutty or cheesy flavor to foods.

History of "Mantou" (Chinese Steamed Bun)!

Photo by Magic East/Shutterstock.com
  • "Mantou" (MAN-toe) or Chinese Steamed Buns are a staple food in northern China. The unfilled buns are made with flour, water, and yeast and then steamed to create a soft, fluffy, white bread. 
  • Mantou may have originated during the Zhou dynasty reign of King Zhaoxiang (307 to 250 BCE). They were written about 300 CE during the Western Jin dynasty. 
  • The steamed buns may be served for breakfast or as a side dish with fried eggs or savory dishes.  
  • Variations of mantou included smaller, fried buns, sometimes with added flavors and colorings, dipped in sweetened condensed milk. These may be sold on the street or in restaurants as desserts.

Let's Learn About China!

Photo by XiXinXing/Shutterstock.com
  • China's official name is The People's Republic of China. It became a republic in 1912; however, the first Chinese dynasty appeared around 2100 BCE. China is one of the largest countries in the world, and it has the most people!
  • The official language of China is Mandarin. However, various dialects are spoken in different regions of the country. For example, in Shanghai, they speak Shanghainese.
  • China is around the same size as the continental United States but only has one official time zone. The continental US has four.  
  • China's capital city is Beijing, while the most populated city is Shanghai.  
  • The Great Wall in China is the largest man-made construction on Earth, stretching an incredible 5,500 miles. Its builders used mortar that included sticky rice to bind the Great Wall's stones! 
  • China's land is diverse, with high mountains, low coastal lands, deserts, and damp tropical areas. Just like the United States!
  • The Chinese are known for their papermaking, porcelain, and silk cloth. In addition to paper, they also invented the compass during the Han dynasty (202 BCE to 220 CE), woodblock printing in the Tang dynasty (by 7th century), gunpowder in the Tang dynasty (9th century), and movable type made of porcelain (for printing) between 1039 and 1048 CE, during the Song dynasty.
  • Chinese cuisine varies by region. Climate, local agriculture, ethnic and class backgrounds, and outside influences all contribute to China's food diversity. There are eight major regional Chinese cuisines: Anhui, Cantonese, Fujian, Hunan, Jiangsu, Shandong, Szechuan, and Zhejiang.
  • Wheat is farmed in northern China, so noodles and other foods made from wheat are consumed more in the North. On the other hand, rice is cultivated in southern China; therefore, rice is a staple in the South.  
  • Tea has long been part of Chinese culture across all parts of society. China was the first country to grow and drink tea and, today, it exports the most green tea worldwide.

What's It Like to Be a Kid in China?

  • School success is greatly emphasized in China. Chinese kids go to school five days a week (six days before 1995), and their school day runs from 7:30 or 8 am until 4 or 5 pm. After school, they might do homework for three hours.
  • In primary school, kids learn the Chinese language, which is made up of about 7,000 characters, not letters. The characters represent words. By the time they finish primary school, they will have learned about 4,000 characters. They will also learn a foreign language, especially English.
  • Kids may not have aunts, uncles, or cousins because, at one time, the Chinese government allowed couples to have just one child due to the high population. That later changed to two, and in May 2021, the policy changed again to allow three kids, so now a child may have a sibling or two. 
  • Some of the holidays that kids celebrate with their families are Chinese New Year, the Dragon Boat Festival, and National Day. National Day is celebrated with fireworks and parades to commemorate the formal proclamation of the People's Republic of China on October 1, 1949. 
  • Kids enjoy playing ping pong, basketball, volleyball, and badminton. They also play video games and ride their bikes. 
  • Rice and noodles are staples, and kids may eat these at every meal. They'll eat their food using chopsticks, not forks!

The Yolk's On You

Where do beans go on holiday? 

The Carib-bean!

The Yolk's On You

What did the yeast say to the bag of flour? 

Come on, we knead to be serious!

The Yolk's On You

"Knock, knock!"

"Who's there?"

"Bean."

"Bean who?"

"It’s Bean a while since I last had a brownie!"

Lettuce Joke Around

What did the yeast confess to the bag of flour? 

I loaf you dough much!

Lettuce Joke Around

"Knock, knock!"

"Who's there?" 

"Yeast."

"Yeast who?"

"At yeast I knocked!"

The Yolk's On You

What did the bottled water tell the spy?

"The name's Bond, Hydrogen Bond."

That's Berry Funny

Flight attendant: "What would you like to drink?" 

Passenger: "Water" 

Flight attendant: "Still?" 

Passenger: "Well, I haven’t changed my mind …"

That's Berry Funny

Drinking water is so popular, but I don’t really get the hype.

Maybe it’s just too mainstream!

The Yolk's On You

What kinds of beans can’t grow in a garden? 

Jelly Beans!

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