Matcha Mantou Recipe

This matcha mantou recipe includes a mini recipe for a sweet matcha milk dip to go with these fluffy steamed buns.

These steamed bread buns are popular for breakfast in China, particularly in the north, and are often plain – but can also be swirled with a second flavour like chocolate, pandan, or green tea like my matcha mantou recipe.

You just need plain flour rather than bread flour for this recipe, because the lower gluten makes for a tendered texture (and high gluten isn't needed for structure since we're not making a big loaf). You can also use low-gluten bao flour for an even lighter, brighter-white bun as it's often bleached, but plain is fine as I've used here.

The matcha milk dip I've made to go with the matcha mantou needs just three ingredients, and is delicious poured over pancakes too.

You can also watch my tutorial video on YouTube here:

Ready? Let's go.

Ingredients for Matcha Mantou

5g fresh or dry active yeast
1 tsp caster sugar
50ml warm milk
250g plain flour
Pinch of salt
1 heaped tsp vegetable shortening (like Trex or Crisco)
15g more caster sugar
100ml more milk
1 tbsp matcha
1 tbsp water

Ingredients for Sweet Matcha Milk Dip

1 tsp matcha
15ml milk
70g condensed milk

Method:

1. Mix the yeast, 1 tsp caster sugar and 50ml warm milk together in a small bowl and set aside for a couple of minutes until foamy.

2. In another large bowl, add the flour, salt, vegetable shortening, rest of the caster sugar and milk, along with the foamy yeast mixture. Stir until combined, and knead with your hands on a clean work surface for five minutes until smooth.

3. Divide the dough into two equal parts, placing one in a lightly-oiled bowl and covering with clingfilm.

4. For the other half of the dough, flatten it a little and make a dip in the centre. Add in the matcha and water, and knead until smooth and evenly green. Place this in a separate oiled bowl and cover with clingfilm. Leave both to proof for about an hour, or until both are doubled in size.

5. Meanwhile, make the dip: whisk the milk and matcha together, and stir into the condensed milk. Set aside.

6. Punch the proofed dough back down to get rid of the excess air, and roll both out into roughly 20cm squares. Place one on top of the other (plain on top of matcha if you want matcha to be around the outside of your buns), then roll the up into a log.

7. Cut into eight equal pieces, and place each on a little square of baking paper. Cover and proof for another 30 minutes.

8. Preheat your steamer (I bring a pan of water to a boil first because I use a bamboo steamer), and steam for 15 minutes.

9. Serve the matcha mantou warm with your sweet matcha milk dip.

Enjoy, and have fun.