Hina Manju (Spring Steamed Bun) ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

1. [White dough] Sift short grain rice flour and glutinous rice flour together.

2. Put 1 into a bowl, pour 400ml of hot water little by little. Stir with chopstick until it gets less powdery.

3. Knead the dough like folding it. Add hot water as needed until the dough’ gets as soft as earlobe.

4. Split the dough in half. Place the cloth into the steamer, then place the doughs. Cover with the lid and steam about 25mins.

5. Put water into the bowl. Put steamed doughs into water to remove stickiness on the surface.

6. Put 5 and add sugar, then knead them with wet hands until it gets bouncy.

7. [Daifuku Manju] Roll out about 40g of the dough to round shape. Wrap 20g of red bean paste with the dough and make it a ball.

8. Shape the ball as you like.

9. [Example1: Persimmon] Dissolve orange food coloring with a little of water. Put the color on the 40g of dough.

10. Roll out to round-shape until the color spreads even. Wrap 20g of red bean paste and shape the ball like a persimmon.

11. Make leaves, same process of 9 using green coloring.

12. Put leaves onto 10 to make a persimmon.

13. [Examples2: Flower] Sprinkle Katakuriko(= potato starch) into wooden mold, then put 8 into a mold to shape.

14. Place colored dough on the center of the flower.