Spelt Flour Mantou (Chinese Steamed Buns)

Dr. Wu, like many of us, usually has an adverse reaction to consuming wheat products, especially those from the United States. However, a gift of ancient sprouted Spelt flour led him to experimenting with this product on himself. He used the flour to make Mantou, traditional Chinese steamed buns. He felt great eating them and ate eight pieces that evening. Lo and behold, he experienced the opposite of the bloating he usually experiences with wheat products. In fact, he found it to be remarkably gut clearing, and discovered that he had actually lost two pounds after an especially restful night of sleep!

Spelt is a species of wheat that has been cultivated since approximately 5000 BCE.

Modern grain farming uses harmful chemical herbicides to control crop weeds, are often genetically modified, and are frequently grown in mineral-and-nutrient depleted soil. Unsurprisingly, this results in a more toxic and less nutritious product.

Ancient grains, on the other hand, have not been modified and are for that reason, more similar to the grains we have evolved to eat. Additionally, their nutritional content is significantly higher.

Traditional cultures have always known the importance of preparing grains, beans, legumes, and nuts before consumption, to be able to better digest them and to reduce the toxic burden. We have forgotten these practices in recent years. Such practices include the five step nixtamalization process of corn before it is considered edible, soaking and sprouting foods, and consuming potatoes with clay.

Spelt was an important staple crop in Europe for thousands of years. While it is less popular today, it can be a great alternative to conventional wheat, especially when used in an organic sprouted form.

Spelt Flour Mantou

Ingredients

300 g organic sprouted spelt flour + 2 tbsp. more for dusting

1 and 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast

2 tbsp. honey, optional

150 g water or 20ml more if needed

1 tbsp. coconut or olive oil

Instructions

Basic dough for Chinese steamed buns

Add honey and yeast to the water. Stir well and set aside for 5 minutes. If you do not want sugar, just skip it. Since we are using the single proofing method in this recipe, the key is not to activate the yeast before we finish the shaping process. So if your room temperature is higher than 18 degrees C. Use chilled water.

Add the liquid to the flour in a stand mixer bowl. And we start to make the dough. (If you plan to hand-knead, pour the water with yeast slowly into the bowl with flour and stir with a chopstick).

Knead for 1 minute at slow speed and then add oil. Then continue kneading for at least 10 minutes at slow speed until the dough is super smooth, elastic, and whiter in color.

If available, use a stand mixer for single-proofing dough, as the warmth from hands can raise the temperature of the dough, leading to premature fermentation and further case the failure of the smooth surface.

If you don’t have a stand mixer, using plastic wrap can stop the temperature from passing through the dough.

Knife-cut steamed buns

Slightly dust the operating board to avoid being sticky, then shape the dough into a smooth ball. Knead for around 1 minute.

Next, shape it into a long log. Try to make it as even as possible. Remove the two ends and use a very sharp knife to cut the log into smaller pieces (around 2 cm wide). Try to keep the original shape.

Round Mantou

Divide the dough into 7-8 portions. And knead each piece for several minutes until the surface becomes super smooth. Then shape it into a round shape (check the video for the detailed process and tips).

Proofing

Please the buns into a lined steamer. If it is warm, cover the lid and start the proofing process.

If it is very cold, remove the lid, place it in an oven, and place it in a large cup of hot boiling water. Cover the lid of the oven and let it rise inside.

It may take around 30 minutes to 1 hour for the proofing method. Check frequently until the buns are 1.5 times in size.

Steam the buns

If you haven’t had experience steaming bread before, you may want to familiarize yourself with some options.

Use high heat first and then lower the heat after you see the steam coming out from the lid. Steam for 13 to 15 minutes.

Let stand for another 5 minutes before opening the lid. Enjoy your fluffy steamed spelt buns.