the ch!cktionary

    9 Oct 2011

    Fried Mantou With Sweet Condensed Milk And Peanuts This is basically what you would get at a state fair … if the state fair took place in Taiwan. Trust me, this is SO much better than deep-fried Twinkies, Snickers, or any of those atrocious concoctions. And I’m going to teach you how to make ‘em! First, steam the mantou buns (available in the freezer or fridges of Asian groceries/bakeries) in a pot of boiling water. I bought bamboo steamers just so I could start making this dessert at home, but you can also set the buns in a bowl or plate. You may want to use a metal rack so that the container doesn’t touch the water. (Water on your mantou makes it soggy and gross!) Some mantou can also be microwaved, but I find this method to be highly dubious. Just follow the instructions on the package you buy. Heat up a flavorless oil like canola. When the oil is close to the smoking point, drop in the buns. Once they are golden brown on all sides, transfer them to a paper towel and dab off the excess oil. (Careful — it’ll be hot!) Top the mantou with dribbles of sweet condensed milk. Don’t be stingy; this makes it delicious! I also highly recommend not skipping the peanut step. Ground peanuts with brown sugar if you’ve got a blender. Otherwise, just toss in those babies whole. A note on mantou: Mantou come in different sizes and shapes but most commonly look like this. The one in the photo above has these ridges, which I like because they add more crunch. Sometimes, mantou will be labeled mandarin rolls. I’m not really sure on the specifics of mantou varieties, but here’s a recipe (and some interesting history) if you dare to make some from scratch. Mantou is typically eaten plain for breakfast (no toppings, no frying) and is fairly mainstream. Sort of like the Chinese equivalent of the bagel! I always thought they were quite boring when I was growing up, but now I crave them all the time. Though my mother would totally disapprove of my habit of deep-frying them. Photo Credit: Lena Chen

    Fried Mantou With Sweet Condensed Milk And Peanuts

    This is basically what you would get at a state fair … if the state fair took place in Taiwan. Trust me, this is SO much better than deep-fried Twinkies, Snickers, or any of those atrocious concoctions. And I’m going to teach you how to make ‘em!

    • First, steam the mantou buns (available in the freezer or fridges of Asian groceries/bakeries) in a pot of boiling water. I bought bamboo steamers just so I could start making this dessert at home, but you can also set the buns in a bowl or plate. You may want to use a metal rack so that the container doesn’t touch the water. (Water on your mantou makes it soggy and gross!) Some mantou can also be microwaved, but I find this method to be highly dubious. Just follow the instructions on the package you buy.
    • Heat up a flavorless oil like canola. When the oil is close to the smoking point, drop in the buns. Once they are golden brown on all sides, transfer them to a paper towel and dab off the excess oil. (Careful — it’ll be hot!)
    • Top the mantou with dribbles of sweet condensed milk. Don’t be stingy; this makes it delicious! I also highly recommend not skipping the peanut step. Ground peanuts with brown sugar if you’ve got a blender. Otherwise, just toss in those babies whole.

    A note on mantou:

    Mantou come in different sizes and shapes but most commonly look like this. The one in the photo above has these ridges, which I like because they add more crunch. Sometimes, mantou will be labeled mandarin rolls. I’m not really sure on the specifics of mantou varieties, but here’s a recipe (and some interesting history) if you dare to make some from scratch.

    Mantou is typically eaten plain for breakfast (no toppings, no frying) and is fairly mainstream. Sort of like the Chinese equivalent of the bagel! I always thought they were quite boring when I was growing up, but now I crave them all the time. Though my mother would totally disapprove of my habit of deep-frying them.

    Photo Credit: Lena Chen

    Tags: food. recipes.
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    1. uncorrelatedcausations reblogged this from lenachen and added:
      !!! I’ve been back...Taiwan more than 10 times, have been here for three
    2. dimiri reblogged this from lenachen and added:
      OH MY ASIAN GODS.
    3. lenachen posted this