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Mantou Wikipedia

Mantou or man tou (zh-stp|s=馒头|t=饅頭|p=mántóu) are the steaming|steamed buns typically served in Northern Chinese cuisine. Made with milled wheat flour, water and leavening agents, they are similar in nutrition and eating qualities to the white bread of the West. In size and texture, they range from 4 cm, soft and fluffy in the dantiest restaurants, to over 15 cm, firm and dense for the working man's lunch.

Traditionally, mantou and wheat noodles were the staple carbohydrates of the Northern Chinese diet, analogous to the rice which forms the mainstay of the Southern Chinese diet. Mantou are also known in the south, but are more likely to be eaten as a treat in a restaurant. Fancy restaurant mantou are often smaller and more delicate and can be further manipulated, for example by deep-frying and dipping in sweetened condensed milk.

They are often sold pre-cooked in the frozen section of Asian supermarkets, ready for preparation by steaming or in the microwave oven.

A similar food, but with a filling inside, is baozi.

Last Modified:   2005-11-07