Hawaii Manju

Found Mom's Yaki Manju recipe and feeling nostalgic.  Not sure if these are still being sold in Okazuya or dim sum places, but this fills my childhood craving.  I didn't have the filling ingredients, but it's still crumbly on the outside with a smooth filling on the inside.  The Korean sweet potato is a good substitute for the Okinawan purple potato.  Maybe I will do a version with the red bean paste since the dough is less sweet to balance it out.  I need to find where I can get the Okinawan purple sweet potato ASAP!

 

This is a soft dough, like a Chinese almond cookie, that uses oil as the fat.  It's therapeutic to flatten the dough balls in my hand and wrap the dough around the filling.  This is an easy and forgiving recipe to make the manju as big or small as you want. 

Ingredients

  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 T Monk fruit (or sugar)
  • ½ t sea salt
  • 1 C olive oil
  • 5 T cold water
  • 1 ½ pound Korean sweet potato, Okinawan purple sweet potato or red bean paste https://amzn.to/3JaMeXc.  Microwave potato about 10 minutes, skewer holes with a fork or knife to allow steaming, rotate halfway through.
  • 1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 t water

Directions

  1. Sift flour, sugar and salt in medium bowl.
  2. Combine oil and water in small bowl, add to the flour with a hand mixer on low speed until smooth.
  3. Refrigerate dough for 15-30 minutes before assembling the manju so the dough is firmer and easier to handle.
  4. Scoop the cooked potato flesh and mash to a smooth paste with a fork, don't use the skins; it makes good dog treats.
  5. Divide the dough into 20 pieces about a tablespoon size ball on cookie sheet, or an ice cream scooper makes it consistent size.
  6. Place 1 teaspoon of the filling in the center of flattened dough ball.
  7. Wrap the dough around the filling.
  8. Flatten slightly and place on an ungreased baking sheet, these do not spread.
  9. Brush top with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
  10. Refrigerate the cookie sheet while the oven heats to 400 F.
  11. Bake at 400F for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown. 
  12. Enjoy manju  warm out of the oven or room temperature with tea, coffee or milk for the kids. There will be lots of crumbs.