Shengjian mantou (pan-fried pork buns)
Photo: ToastyKen from Sheng jian bao shop in Shanghai · CC BY 2.0

History

Shengjian mantou began in Suzhou in the early 1910s and reached Shanghai's tea houses and laohuzao hot water stations by the 1920s. Two styles split from the same dough: hunshui buns are pleated face down and packed with pork and aspic that melts into broth as they fry, while qingshui buns are pleated face up on fully leavened dough with no added jelly, giving a drier, more bread-like bite. Shanghai diners still order by the liang, a unit that traditionally yields four buns, so orders run in fours rather than by the piece.

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Common allergens: Gluten

Make it at home

Yield Makes about 12Hands-on 1 hrTotal 2 hr 30 minDifficulty Advanced

Ingredients

  • 300g plain flour
  • 1 tsp instant yeast
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • 160ml warm water
  • 4 gelatine leaves
  • 200ml pork or chicken stock
  • 350g minced pork, 20 percent fat
  • 1 spring onion, finely chopped
  • 1cm piece of ginger, grated
  • 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
  • 1 tsp light soy sauce
  • 1/2 tsp sesame oil
  • Vegetable oil, for frying
  • Sesame seeds and chopped spring onion, to finish

Method

  1. Soak the gelatine in cold water, squeeze out and stir into the hot stock until dissolved. Chill for 2 hours until set into a firm jelly, then dice small.
  2. Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and warm water into a soft dough. Knead for 5 minutes, cover and prove for 45 minutes until doubled.
  3. Mix the diced jelly through the minced pork with the spring onion, ginger, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce and sesame oil.
  4. Knock back the dough and divide into 12 pieces. Roll each into an 8cm round and place a tablespoon of filling in the centre.
  5. Pleat the edges upward and twist to seal, leaving a small pucker at the top. Rest the buns, pleated side up, for 10 minutes.
  6. Heat a thin layer of oil in a wide lidded pan over medium heat. Arrange the buns pleated side up and fry for 2 minutes until the base browns.
  7. Pour in enough water to come a third up the buns, cover and steam-fry for 8 minutes until the water evaporates and the base is crisp again.
  8. Scatter with sesame seeds and spring onion, then serve straight from the pan.

Tip from the editors. Keep the lid on during the steaming stage and fry pleated side up, so the flat base browns while the top stays juicy.

Where to eat shengjian mantou (pan-fried pork buns)

Shengjian mantou (pan-fried pork buns) in Shanghai

Da Hu Chun ★ 4.3

¥ ShanghaineseThe Bund

Da Hu Chun on Middle Sichuan Road in Shanghai holds a Bib Gourmand for the fluffy pan-fried shengjian bao that built its snack food culture.

OrderOrder the pork, prawn or crab roe shengjian bao with a side of beef curry soup, the customary pairing here.

TipIts qingshui buns use fully fermented dough and no added aspic, so they come out soft and bread-like over a cracker-crisp base rather than bursting with soup.

Directions

Dong Tai Xiang ★ 4.1

¥ ShanghainesePeoples Square

Dong Tai Xiang on North Chongqing Road in Shanghai is the only shengjian shop whose semi-fermented technique holds intangible heritage status.

OrderOrder the shengjian pan-fried pork buns; the dough-making skill keeps every bun plump even once it cools.

TipIt is the only shengjian shop whose semi-fermented technique carries intangible cultural heritage recognition.

Directions

Shu Cai Ji ★ 3.5

¥ Street foodPeoples Square

Shu Cai Ji on Middle Zhejiang Road in Shanghai has fried shengjian and guotie since 1980, and husband-and-wife owners Shu and Cai still run the counter.

TryShengjian and guotie

TipOrder a plate of caifan, rice fried with bok choy and salted pork, alongside the dumplings.

Directions

Yang's Fry-Dumpling ★ 3.9

¥ Street foodPeoples Square

Yang's Fry-Dumpling on Huanghe Road in Shanghai fries shengjian in thin unleavened dough with plenty of broth, a style the chain has popularised since 1994.

TryShengjian pan-fried pork buns

TipJia Jia Tang Bao is also on Huanghe Road for xiaolongbao, so pace yourself between the two queues.

Directions

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