Zha Man Tou (Fried Steamed Buns with Condensed Milk)
Crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside! Golden Fried Bread Drip on Condensed Milk
Description
An absolute staple ordered at hot pot chains and diners across China. 'Mantou', the traditional Chinese plain steamed bun, is deep-fried whole in high-heat oil until golden brown. It is eaten by dipping heavily into ultra-sweet Condensed Milk. A simple yet overwhelmingly guilty-pleasure sweet.
Restaurants serving Zha Man Tou (Fried Steamed Buns with Condensed Milk)
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On this site you can check dictionary details and, later, places to buy or eat related items.
The Recipe section below is a general reference, not a recipe from the listed shops.
Recipe
Ingredients
- Mantou
- Frying oil
- Condensed milk
Instructions
- [Authentic Recipe]
- Prepare fluffy steamed Mantou (buns kneaded from flour, water, yeast, and sugar). *If using frozen ones, MUST steam them first.
- Lightly pat dry the surface.
- Heat generous oil in a wok to 180-190°C. Drop the buns in.
- Frying at low temp makes them greasy, so MUST fry on high heat to instantly sear the surface.
- Roll constantly for
- mins until the entire surface turns a beautiful golden brown and forms a hard, crispy shell.
- Drain oil thoroughly.
- Serve immediately with a small bowl of Condensed Milk for dipping.
Learn more Spice, substitutes, tips
Key spices
Roasted aroma of fried wheat dough and violent sweetness of condensed milk、練乳の暴力的な甘み
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
Deep-fry commercial frozen Mantou or the outer bun of a Nikuman
Pairing
As a palate cleanser during spicy hot pot
Trivia
[Trivia] In Chinese restaurants, it is popularly served as 'Gold and Silver Mantou', alternating plain white steamed buns (Silver) and golden fried buns (Gold). It is a masterpiece of Chinese sweets, generating maximum euphoria from the simplest ingredients.
Eating tips & etiquette
[Unique Eating] Tear the piping hot fried bun by hand and dunk it heavily into the bottom of the condensed milk. The crack of the roasted outer crust and the fluffy hot dough inside intertwine with the cold, sweet condensed milk, delivering a rush of sugar and fat directly to the brain. It is the ultimate item to reset a tongue paralyzed by spicy hot pot.
Allergen
Wheat, Dairy