Shanghai Pan-fried Pork Buns (Shengjian Mantou, 上海生煎馒头) by: Judy 14 Comments Jump to Recipe Posted:10/24/2020Updated:10/24/2020 Shanghai Pan-Fried Pork Buns, or shengjian bao (生煎包) / shengjian mantou (生煎馒头) in Chinese, are iconic.  Breakfast, brunch, lunch, or snack, people love them as much as the celebrated four Shanghai breakfast warriors.The combination of umami filling dripping with juicy “soup” and the crunchy pan-fried bottoms are simply extraordinary.You really have to try it to know what I mean!  Since she was old enough to eat solid food, Sarah has been obsessed with these juicy buns, perhaps more than soup dumplings.

But here in the U.S., it can be very hard to find Shanghai-style pan-fried pork buns that taste comparable to what you can get on the streets of Shanghai.  That is why I’ve made it my mission to get this recipe right! Note: If I’m being honest, this is not the easiest recipe to make.I strongly suggest reading through the whole post before starting! What Makes Shanghai Pan-fried Pork Buns Special?  Many Americans and others outside of China have come to love Shanghai Soup Dumplings.Well, Shanghai Pan-Fried Pork Buns are like the soup dumpling’s crispy, crunchy cousin.  It’s definitely a tight race when you put these side-by-side.

I think they are equally good! They’re also equally tricky to make successfully.Shanghai Soup Dumplings are more pure and delicate.Shanghai Pan-Fried Pork Buns

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