Steamed B B Q Pork Bao

JING CHAR SIU BAU (STEAMED BBQ PORK BUN) - a long history going back to between 221 and 234 B.C. when Juger Liang, a man renowned for his great wisdom, was prime minister of the Shu kingdom, now Szechuan province. On six successive occasions Liang successfully repelled the fearsome barbarian tribe commanded by Meng Huoh. The seventh time, both parties having fought honorably, Meng Huoh bowed before Liang's strategy and wisdom. Everyone joined in the great march back to the Shu kingdom. On the way they came to a river. According to barbarian tradition, in order to cross the river a human life first had to be sacrificed and the head thrown into the water to ensure that the current could be safely crossed. Liang, in his great wisdom, did not wish to kill an innocent man, since his ghost could return to claim other victims, and so he ordered his cook to prepare a large steamed round loaf shaped like a head which he threw into the river. Everyone made it across without incident. Since that day, and for a long time afterwards, little steamed buns were made in the shape of heads, more oval than round. These buns are called "mantow" or "mantou" which phonetically is the same word, referring both to buns and the heads of barbarians! Only the second written character differentiates them