Betty Liu's Scallion Flower Buns
葱油花卷
There are two important elements for a perfectly shaped, fluffy mantou: kneading and temperature moderation. The kneading time is long but will yield a fluffy texture. Kneading vigorously after the second rise is crucial, as it collapses the air bubbles and results in a smooth texture once steamed. This dough can be delicate, so it’s important to increase the temperature slowly. Heating the steaming water from cold allows the buns to rise slowly with the temperature. Make sure to turn the heat to medium after the water boils, as extreme heat will shock the dough, causing it to rise too much and then collapse.
Makes 8 buns Photo by Betty Liu
DOUGH
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (270 milliliters) warm water
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2¾ cups plus 1 tablespoon (350 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1¼ cups (150 grams) cake flour
1 teaspoon vegetable oil, plus more for greasing the bowl
Note: I use a mix of cake flour and all-purpose flour to mimic the lower protein flour used in China. You can also use 3¾ cups (500 grams) all-purpose flour.
SCALLION SPREAD
3 scallions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon scallion oil or vegetable oil
¼ teaspoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
method
- To make the dough, mix together the yeast, warm water, and sugar in a medium bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes to bloom, ensuring that the yeast is indeed active. Foamy bubbles should appear on the surface.
- Mix the flours in a bowl and make a well in the center. Gradually stream in the yeast mixture, mixing with chopsticks with your other hand. Once all the water is in and the dough is loosely mixed, stir in the vegetable oil.
- Use your hands to knead the dough until it is soft, elastic, and so smooth it can be described as “three shines,” 三光 san guang, about 10 minutes. Your hands, the dough, and the bowl should be shiny without anything sticking to them. If you try to stretch the dough, it should have some resistance and pull back. If the dough is too tight, wet your hands with water and keep kneading. (Alternatively, combine the dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook, and mix on low speed until combined. Slowly stream in the yeast mixture, then when the dough starts to come together, add the oil and increase the speed to medium. Mix until smooth and elastic and the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. The dough and bowl should be smooth and shiny—if not, add more flour gradually.) Place the dough in an oiled bowl. Let it rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size, 60 to 90 minutes. Alternatively, let the dough rise in the fridge for up to 24 hours. When ready to work with the dough again, let it come to room temperature.
- Meanwhile, mix together all the scallion spread ingredients except the salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
- When you pull the dough from the edge of the bowl and see a honeycomb of air bubbles, the dough is ready. Punch the dough down and knead vigorously for another 5 to 7 minutes, until no large air bubbles remain and the dough is smooth once more.
- On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a large rectangle about ¼-inch (6 millimeters) thick and 12 inches (30.5 centimeters) wide and 15 inches (38 centimeters) long. Arrange the dough with the long side facing you. Add the salt to the scallion spread and mix to combine. Brush the dough with a thin layer of the scallion spread. Fold the top edge into the middle, then fold the bottom edge up to the middle, meeting the upper edge, to make a long rectangle. Pat firmly to remove any air bubbles.
- Brush more of the scallion spread over the surface of the dough, then fold the top half over the bottom half (at the midline). Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into thin strips, about ¼-inch (6 millimeters) wide.
- Grab the top and bottom edges of four of these strips, and place them on top of the next three or four, to form a stack.
- Using your hands, pinch both ends of the stack, gently pulling the strips until they are doubled in length, and then twist them. Tie into a knot and tuck in the ends (see photographs below).
- Repeat steps 8 and 9 with the remaining dough.
- Place the knots about 1½ inches (4 centimeters) apart in a bamboo steamer lined with parchment paper with steamer holes. Cover the steamer with the lid and let rise for 15 to 20 minutes. If your steamer is small and you are working in batches, refrigerate the other buns to pause fermentation.
- Add 2 inches (5 centimeters) of cold water to the wok, making sure no water touches the bottom of the steamer, and bring to a boil over high, then reduce the heat to medium. Steam the knots over simmering water for 15 minutes.
- Remove the lid of the steamer. Press a fingertip gently into the bun, and if the indentation bounces back, the buns are ready. Serve immediately, or refrigerate for a few days or freeze the buns for several months to use at another time. You can freeze these buns after you steam them. To reheat from frozen, steam for 7 minutes, then turn off the heat and let the buns sit in the steamer for another 5 minutes. Alternatively, wet a paper towel, wring it out so it’s not sopping wet, and place it over a bun on a plate. Microwave for 3 minutes to reheat.
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| Description | From the book My Shanghai by Betty Liu. Copyright © 2021 by Betty Liu. Published by Harper Design, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Reprinted by permission. |
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