Spiral Pandan Mantou is a delightful blend of subtle sweetness and the fragrant aroma of pandan, a tropical plant widely used in Southeast Asian cuisine. This soft, fluffy steamed bun, made with milk and fresh pandan juice, is not only pleasing to the palate but also visually appealing with its mesmerizing green spirals. The combination of milk and pandan juice gives the mantou its unique flavor, creating a mildly sweet taste complemented by the fresh, herbal notes of pandan.
To achieve the perfect appearance and texture for Pandan Spiral Mantou, it is highly recommended to use pao flour. Pao flour, also known as bao flour, has a fine texture and produces a much whiter dough compared to regular plain flour. The whiter base of the dough helps the vibrant green of the pandan juice stand out, creating a visually striking contrast that enhances the mantou’s spiral design. In contrast, plain flour often has a slightly yellowish hue due to its higher gluten content, which can make the pandan spirals appear duller and less attractive. Therefore, using pao flour ensures that the mantou not only tastes soft and light but also looks more appealing with clearer, more vibrant green spirals.
The choice of pandan is another crucial factor in making the perfect mantou. Fresh pandan juice is preferred over artificial pandan essence or coloring because it imparts a more authentic flavor and natural color. Pandan leaves, when blended and strained, produce a juice that is fragrant, which enhances the flavor profile of the mantou without overpowering it.
One of the most important steps in making perfect Pandan Spiral Mantou is the steaming process. Steaming is a delicate method of cooking that preserves the soft, airy texture of the mantou. However, it is essential to avoid condensation water from the steam dripping onto the mantou, as this can cause the buns to become soggy or unevenly cooked.
To prevent this, using a bamboo steamer is highly recommended. Unlike metal steamers, bamboo steamers absorb moisture, preventing water droplets from forming and dripping onto the surface of the mantou. This ensures that the buns maintain their shape and achieve a smooth, glossy finish. Additionally, the bamboo material allows for even heat distribution, resulting in a more consistent texture throughout the mantou.
Check out our mantou recipe collection.
CHINESE VERSION: 香兰螺旋馒头-松软可口带香兰味的馒头
Spiral Pandan Mantou | MyKitchen101en
Yields: 8
Ingredients for milk dough:
- 140 g pao flour
- 10 g wheat starch
- ½ tsp instant yeast
- 35 g fine sugar
- 75 g milk (room temperature)
- 10 g corn oil (or other vegetable oil)
Ingredients for pandan dough:
- 140 g pao flour
- 10 g wheat starch
- ½ tsp instant yeast
- 35 g fine sugar
- 65 g pandan juice*
- 10 g corn oil (or other vegetable oil)
Directions:
1 *Pandan juice: Blend 15 g of pandan leaves with 75 g of water, extract 65 g pandan juice.
2 Combine pao flour, wheat starch, instant yeast and fine sugar for both type of dough in 2 separate mixing bowl, mix well. Add in milk and pandan juice respectively, mix into a dough. (Reminder: Prepare both dough at the same time so that the proofing time is consistent.)
3 Add in corn oil, mix until well blended.
4 Cover pandan dough with a bowl to prevent it from drying out.
5 Knead milk dough for 6-7 minutes until the outer is smooth (lightly coat palm with flour if it is sticky), then cover and set aside to rest for 6-7 minutes.
6 Knead pandan dough for 6-7 minutes until the outer is smooth (lightly coat palm with flour if it is sticky), then cover and set aside to rest for 6-7 minutes.
7 Put the rested milk dough on parchment paper, roll out into thin flat dough (cover the rolled dough to prevent it from drying).
8 Put the rested pandan dough on parchment paper, roll out into thin flat dough.
9 Brush the rolled pandan dough with some water, put rolled milk dough on top of rolled pandan dough, roll out to left and right to help both dough sticking together.
10 Remove the parchment papers, put the dough on non-stick silicon mat (with milk dough at the bottom), roll out into thinner dough. Flatten the dough at the end where rolling starts, then roll up the thin dough into a rod shape.
11 Cut into 8 portions using serrated knife (for a nicer cut), put each on a piece of paper.
12 Bring 500 ml of water to the boil in a steamer, off the heat, then add in 1 Litre of plain water.
13 Arrange mantou dough in steamer racks, put over warm water, cover and proof for 20 minutes. (Reminder: Using bamboo steamer to steam will prevent condensation water from dripping onto mantou, thus yields a prettier bun.)
14 After proofing for 20 minutes, turn to high heat until water is boiling (about 3 minutes), then reduce to medium heat and steam for another 15 minutes.
15 Soft and fluffy Pandan Spiral Mantou with the fragrance of pandan!
Spiral Pandan Mantou-Soft Fluffy Chinese Steamed Bun
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Equipment
- 1 bamboo steamer
Ingredients
For milk dough:
- 140 g pao flour
- 10 g wheat starch
- ½ tsp instant yeast
- 35 g fine sugar
- 75 g milk room temperature
- 10 g corn oil or other vegetable oil
For pandan dough:
- 140 g pao flour
- 10 g wheat starch
- ½ tsp instant yeast
- 35 g fine sugar
- 65 g pandan juice*
Instructions
- *Pandan juice: Blend 15 g of pandan leaves with 75 g of water, extract 65 g pandan juice.
- Combine pao flour, wheat starch, instant yeast and fine sugar for both type of dough in 2 separate mixing bowl, mix well. Add in milk and pandan juice respectively, mix into a dough. (Reminder: Prepare both dough at the same time so that the proofing time is consistent.)
- Add in corn oil, mix until well blended. Cover pandan dough with a bowl to prevent it from drying out.
- Knead milk dough for 6-7 minutes until the outer is smooth (lightly coat palm with flour if it is sticky), then cover and set aside to rest for 6-7 minutes.
- Knead pandan dough for 6-7 minutes until the outer is smooth (lightly coat palm with flour if it is sticky), then cover and set aside to rest for 6-7 minutes.
- Put the rested milk dough on parchment paper, roll out into thin flat dough (cover the rolled dough to prevent it from drying).
- Put the rested pandan dough on parchment paper, roll out into thin flat dough.
- Brush the rolled pandan dough with some water, put rolled milk dough on top of rolled pandan dough, roll out to left and right to help both dough sticking together.
- Remove the parchment papers, put the dough on non-stick silicon mat (with milk dough at the bottom), roll out into thinner dough. Flatten the dough at the end where rolling starts, then roll up the thin dough into a rod shape.
- Cut into 8 portions using serrated knife (for a nicer cut), put each on a piece of paper.
- Bring 500 ml of water to the boil in a steamer, off the heat, then add in 1 Litre of plain water.
- Arrange mantou dough in steamer racks, put over warm water, cover and proof for 20 minutes. (Reminder: Using bamboo steamer to steam will prevent condensation water from dripping onto mantou, thus yields a prettier bun.)
- After proofing for 20 minutes, turn to high heat until water is boiling (about 3 minutes), then reduce to medium heat and steam for another 15 minutes.
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Why my mantou wrinkle up when steamed?
Overprove mantou/pao will have wrinkle surface when steamed.
What ‘s pao flour?
Pao flour is formulated for making pao. You may use all purpose flour/plain flour, adjust the amount of water added according to the wetness of the dough, but the colour of mantou will be less attractive as plain flour is yellowish.
Can I use cooking oil instead corn oil, tq
Yes, you can use any vegetable oil.
May I know what is wheat starch?
Wheat starch is kanji gandum.
Where did you get your steamer from?
The bamboo steamer is bought online (from Taobao).