Chinese Steamed Buns (Mantou) | Gluten Free Asian Recipes | Healthy gf Asian (2024)

FAQs

Can celiacs eat bao buns? ›

Do bao buns have gluten in them? Yes, traditional bao buns are made with flour that contains gluten. However, in order for the buns to be light and fluffy, traditional bao buns are made with a low gluten flour, which can be purchased at Asian stores. For us with Celiac or wheat allergies, it is still a no-no.

A standard steamed bao typically contains about 200-250 calories, positioning it as a moderate-calorie food option. Additionally, bao serves as a source of protein and dietary fiber, particularly when made with whole grain flours or filled with vegetables or lean meats.

Steamed buns (baozi) are small (fist-sized or smaller), of a bread-like (yeast), that are stuffed, usually meat/veggie mixture. Mantou is steamed bread. Normally, not stuffed.

Bao Buns (pronounced “bow”), but also known as a 'steamed buns' or 'baozi' 包子, are a delicious, warm, fluffy treat of stuffing wrapped inside a sweet, white dough. Made with a mix of flour, yeast, sugar, baking powder, milk and oil, the bao is a tad sweeter than its closely related cousin, the dumpling.

The bun arrives at our restaurants pre-packaged to prevent gluten cross-contact. However, once the bun is removed from its packaging it is no longer considered gluten-free because it may come into contact with ingredients in our kitchens that do contain gluten.

Bread can be healthier than buns, but it all depends on the kind of bun and bread being compared. For example, one slice of white bread is healthier than a single sweet bun which can have a high amount of carbohydrates and sugar. On the other hand, one whole wheat bun might be healthier than a slice of white bread.

Steamed Bun – Mantou '馒头' is a soft and fluffy bun that is made from just a few simple pantry ingredients. There are endless ways to serve these buns, such as with jam, nut butter, butter, or as an accompaniment for the Spicy Thai Basil Tofu dish.

Mantou (traditional Chinese: 饅頭; simplified Chinese: 馒头), often referred to as Chinese steamed bun, is a white and soft type of steamed bread or bun popular in northern China. Folk etymology connects the name mantou to a tale about Zhuge Liang.

What is a mantou in Chinese? ›

Mántóu (馒头), also known as Mó (馍), refers to plain steamed buns which originated from China. They are usually made of white wheat flour, but other ingredients, such as corn flour, sweet potato, pumpkin, are sometimes added to the dough.

When it comes to the dip, hoisin sauce, sweet chilli or a simple soy sauce with sesame oil make great pairings. We love to eat bao alongside some bouncy or zingy veggies. For zingy veg, we suggest some quick pickled cucumber.

Chukaman are soft, steamed buns filled with sweet or savory ingredients. These buns were introduced into Japanese cuisine by Chinese immigrants, and over time, have become part of the food culture of Japan. “Chuka” loosely translates to “Japanese-style Chinese cuisine” and “man” means “steamed bun”.

These steamed buns are yummy Chinese dim sum that can be made with or without meat filling. To make these tasty buns, you'll need a wok equipped with a stainless steel steam plate.

Dumplings (especially Chinese ones) are usually wrapped in a wheat dough. If you are gluten-free, be cautious; the dough used for making crystal shrimp dumplings (har gow) contains wheat starch in addition to tapioca flour. The batter used to make rice noodle rolls (cheong fun) sometimes contain wheat starch too.

Try banh canh cua, a crab and rice noodle dish that will make your heart sing. Com, com tam and com hen: Com (rice), com tam (broken rice) and com hen (rice with baby clams) dishes are plentiful, and in the case of com tam, you can choose your meat or vegetable toppings.

My recipe for Bao bun dough requires five ingredients: all-purpose flour; dried yeast; sugar; cooking oil, and lukewarm water. The flour & liquid (water + oil) ratio is 2:1 by weight. It may vary a little depending on the type and the brand of your flour.