Mantou is a Chinese steamed bread. In Laos, this same dough is used to make kalapao, a bun stuffed with ground pork flavored with shitake mushrooms, a piece of sweet sausage and a quarter of hard-boiled egg.
For 8 buns
Ingredients
300g all-purpose flour
150g lukewarm water
50g sugar
5g dry yeast
a pinch of salt
Method
In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and sugar in water and leave to activate for 15 minutes.
Add flour and salt and knead the dough for 15 minutes.
Cover and let rest for 1 hour.
Without kneading the dough too much, divide into 8 parts (in balls or rolls) and place each bun on a square of baking paper.
Put them in one or more steam baskets and let rest for 40 minutes.
Steam for 20 minutes.
Turn off the heat and let rest for 10 minutes without removing the lid.
“This last step is very important. If you lift the lid directly, the buns may deflate.”
