In part one of “Man, What’s Up With Manju?”, I gave some background on manju, aka man, and listed a few varieties of man common in Japan. If you’d like to play with your own manju recipe, here’re two basic recipes to toy with and finesse to your preference. I’ve also included four complete manju recipes as well.
To begin with it’s good to know that the basic recipe for manju dough is comprised of flour, leavening, fat, and liquid. These manju recipes will make between 8-10 man, depending on size and choice of leavening. Here’s two basic dough recipes:
Yeast Dough
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp yeast
- 3/4 cup warm milk or water
- 1 Tbls. sugar
- 1 Tbls. oil
- pinch of salt
- sesame oil (optional)
Dissolve the sugar in the milk or water and add the yeast. Stir to mix well and then let the yeast proof for 6 minutes until it’s foamy. Add the oil to the yeast mixture and stir well.
Blend together the salt and flour then add the yeast mix to the flour, blending thoroughly. Use your hands to knead the dough into a well combined ball. Place the dough in a bowl and cover it with a damp cloth. Let the dough rise in a warm dry place for 30 minutes.
Dust a clean surface with flour and flour a rolling pin. Roll out the dough into 4 inch circles and place approximately a tablespoon of filling in the center of the round. Gather the edges of the round together and twist the top to seal. Use a dab of water if the edges won’t seal properly.
Cut out wax paper squares and place the formed man on squares. If you’d like, cover the formed man with a damp cloth and let them rise for an additional 20 minutes in a warm dry place. After they’ve risen, steam the man on high for 10 minutes.
Makes 10 Manju
Baking Powder Dough
- 2 cups flour
- 1 Tbls baking powder
- 3/4 cup water or milk or soy milk
- 1 Tbls shortening or 1 Tbls. oil
- 1 Tbls sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1/2-1 tsp. sesame oil, optional
Combine dry ingredients and blend well. If using shortening, cut it into the dry flour mixture and then add the water or milk.
If using oil, add it to the milk or water and then add the mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix the ingredients well and knead the dough into a well combined ball. Let the dough “rest” for at least 15 minutes.
Dust a clean surface with flour and flour a rolling pin. On the floured surface, roll the dough into 4 inch circles and place some filling in the center of the round. Gather the edges together and twist the top to seal. Use a dab of water to seal the edges if they’re not sealing properly. Cut out wax paper squares and place the formed man on the squares. Steam them on high for 10 minutes.
Makes 8 Manju
When making the dough for a dessert man, you can increase the amount of sugar used. But be aware you may also need to increase the liquid, depending on how much sugar is used. I don’t recommend using more than 1/2 cup of sugar in any man, especially since the filling may also be sugary. You’ll go into a candy coma.
You can choose to finagle these basic recipes to your taste, experimenting with more yeast, which’ll give it a stronger taste, or with both baking soda and yeast. You can also interchange the fats used or use a bit of each to equal the required amount. Don’t overdo the fat, however, or you’ll have an unnecessarily greasy man.
For those interested in the recipes I’ve tried, I’ve included four:
- Niku Man
- Kare Man
- Matcha Man
- Choco Man
Niku man is a savory manju filled with ground pork and Chinese-style fillings. I used ground TVP, substituted the bamboo shoots with carrots and went with hoisin sauce instead of the oyster for mine.
Niku Man
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp. yeast
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 tbls. sugar
- 1 tbls. canola oil
- A pinch of salt (optional)
- 1 tsp. sesame oil (optional)
Filling
- 1 cup cooked TVP or cooked pork, ground
- 1/2 cup bamboo shoots, chopped*
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 2 shitake mushrooms, chopped or 1/4 cup chopped maitake mushroom**
- 1/2 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- 1- 2 Tbls oyster or hoisin sauce
- fresh ground pepper, to taste
Make the dough by dissolving the sugar in the milk or water, then add the yeast. Stir to mix well and then let the yeast proof for 6 minutes until it’s foamy. Add the oil(s) to the yeast mixture and stir well.
Blend together the salt and flour then add the yeast mix to the flour, blending thoroughly. Use your hands to knead the dough into a well combined ball.
Place the dough in a clean bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Let the dough rise in a warm dry place for 30 minutes. Make the filling while the dough is rising.
Make the filling by blending all the filling ingredients together and set them aside.
Dust a clean surface with flour and flour a rolling pin. Roll out the dough into 4 inch circles and place approximately one tablespoon of filling in the center of the round.
Gather the edges of the round together and twist the top to seal. Use a dab of water on the dough if the edges won’t seal properly. Cut out wax paper squares and place the formed man on the squares. If you’d like, cover the formed man with a damp cloth and let them rise for an additional 20 minutes in a warm dry place. After they’ve risen, steam the man on high for 10 minutes.
Serve immediately.
Makes 10 Niku Man
Difficulty: Moderate | Time: 1 hour 20 minutes (if letting dough rise twice)| Ingredient Availability: Moderate
I had my doubts about Kare (Curry) Man, but they all disappeared after one bite. This man is a must for fans of Japanese-style curry. I substituted TVP chunks for the chicken.
Kare Man (Curry Man)
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp. yeast
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 tbls. sugar
- 1 tbls. canola oil
- A pinch of salt (optional)
- 1 tsp. sesame oil (optional)
- 1 tsp. turmeric powder***
- A pinch of salt (optional)
Filling
- 1 cup TVP or cooked chicken, chopped
- 1/4 cup onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup carrot, chopped
- 1 green onion, chopped
- 2 blocks Japanese style curry roux, chopped****
- 3 Tbls water
Make the dough as for Niku Man except, blend the turmeric powder with the flour and salt before adding the liquids and oils. Make the filling while the dough is rising.
Make the filling by first melting the roux with the water. You can melt the curry either in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave on high for 30-45 seconds or on the stove in a saucepan over low heat.
Combine chicken, onion, carrot and green onion in a large bowl. Add hot melted curry roux and blend well.
Dust a clean surface with flour and flour a rolling pin. Roll out the dough into 4 inch circles and place approximately one tablespoon of filling in the center of the round.
Gather and stretch the edges of the round together over the filling and twist the top to seal. Use a dab of water if the edges won’t seal properly. Cut out wax paper squares and place the formed man on the squares. If you’d like, cover the formed man with a damp cloth and let them rise for an additional 20 minutes in a warm dry place. After they’ve risen, steam the man on high for 10 minutes.
Serve immediately.
Makes 10 Kare Man
Difficulty: Moderate | Time: 1 hour 20 minutes (if letting dough rise twice)| Ingredient Availability: Easy
Matcha man was the first manju I’d ever eaten. It was a store bought variety and was bland and dry. I was not impressed. Making matcha man at home and filling it with anko made it moist and delicious. Eat this one right out of the steamer for maximum yumminess.
Matcha Man
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tbls. baking powder
- 1 generous Tbls matcha
- 1 tbls. canola oil
- 3/4 cup milk or soymilk, at room temperature
- A dash of salt (optional)
Filling
- 3/4 koshi or tsbushi an, divided into 8 balls
Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, matcha, and salt. Add oil to milk and blend well. Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients, mixing thoroughly. Knead the dough into a well combined ball. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let the dough “rest” for 15 minutes.
Roll out the dough into 4 inch circles and place an anko ball in the center of the rounds. Gather the edges together and twist the top to seal. Pinch off any extra dough and flip manju over so sealed top is facing down. Pat man into a semi-spherical shape and place it, seal-side down on wax paper squares. Steam on high for 10 minutes.
Serve immediately.
Makes 8 Matcha Man
Difficulty: Moderate | Time: 45 minutes | Ingredient Availability: Moderate to Difficult
Choco man; a gooey taste of East meets West. Use whichever chocolate for the center which floats your boat. Be it, dark, milk, bitter, semi, ganache, Snicker’s, whatever, use plenty for a tasty choco overload!
Choco Man
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/4-1/3 cups cocoa powder
- 3/4 tsp. yeast
- 1 cup warm water
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 Tbls canola oil
- dash of salt (optional)
Filling
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips or
- 1/2 cup your choice chocolate bar, broken
Make the dough by dissolving 1 Tbls of the sugar in the water, then add the yeast. Stir to mix well and then let the yeast proof for 6 minutes until it’s foamy. Add the oil to the yeast mixture and stir well.
Whisk together flour, remaining sugar, baking powder, cocoa, and salt. Add the yeast mix to the flour, blending thoroughly. Use your hands to knead the dough into a well combined ball.
Place the dough in a clean bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Let the dough rise in a warm dry place for 30 minutes.
Dust a clean surface with flour and flour a rolling pin. Roll out the dough into 4 inch circles and place approximately a tablespoon of chocolate in the center of the round.
Gather the edges together and twist the top to seal. Pinch off any extra dough and flip the manju over so the sealed top is facing down. Pat the man into a bi-spherical shape and place it, seal-side down on wax paper squares. If you’d like, cover the finished man with a damp cloth and let them rise for an additional 20 minutes in a warm dry place. After they’ve risen, steam the man on high for 10 minutes.
Serve immediately.
Makes 10 Choco Man
Difficulty: Moderate | Time: 1 hour 20 minutes (if letting dough rise twice)| Ingredient Availability: Easy
Out of all the manju I made, I must say the kare and matcha man were my absolute favorites. The curry manju had a kick because of the turmeric and the matcha man had a great balance of bitter tea and sweet tsbu an. I highly recommend eating these treats hot outta the steamer. Although, manju would also be the perfect traveling food since it’s so compact.
However you choose to eat manju, remember, it’s your choice and your manju. Make it how you like and eat it how you want!
*If you can’t get a hold of bamboo shoots, carrots can be used as a substitution.
**Button mushrooms may be substituted for the shitake or maitake.
***Turmeric has a slightly bitter taste which may turn some people off. If you’re one of those people, use less turmeric. If you’re like me and dig the taste, add 1/2 teaspoon more of turmeric and an optional half tablespoon of sugar.
****Japanese style curry roux may not be available to some people. A teaspoon or two (to taste) of curry powder may be substituted instead. Please note the curry powder will not thicken the filling like the roux will unless you add 1 1/2 teaspoons of corn starch.
My mouth’s watering just reading through the recipes! And since I don’t eat meat, I’m going to bookmark this page so I can make these recipes sometime soon…The curry one looks SO good!
Thanks, Rachel, for sharing these!
Mm yay (goes to make Kare Man) It is best to eat the Manju fresh, the next day the bread gets a bit thicker and isnt nice and light.
@Rena, TVP worked fantastic in the manju. I made sure I cut the TVP for the kare man into big chicken-y chunks. Soooo good!
@Cliff, I find if I wrap day old man in a damp paper towel and warm in the microwave, it “freshens” ‘em up.
Thanks for the recipes! I used a part of the recipe for plain meat buns to make my own dozen. You can see a photo of the result here:
http://atashi.wordpress.com/2008/03/07/dining-in-true-weeaboo-fashion/
@Atashi, Wow a dozen! You go! Did you share? ^^
Nope, I finished them all off in two days… ^^;;
Oh wow they look so good, im due to eat in about 30mins, sadly it wont be those, but… thanks for the recipes.
http://www.cosplaytoday.com/forum/
WAIT1 HOW MUCH COCAO DO YOU PUT IN THE CHOCOLATE MANJU!
@Sakura, you can put in as much choco as will fit in a manju. I usually put about one “square” of chocolate from a regular chocolate bar. You can put in more of course. You could also fill it with butterscotch or white chocolate chips. You could even fill them with marshmallows!
Oh, they look wonderful. I’d love to make them but I don’t have a steamer, do you think they’d be okay baked?
@Tina, you can make a steamer with two mugs and a plate! Place two mugs right-side up in a large pot. Fill the pot with enough water to halfway cover the mugs. Place your manju on a plate which fits insde the pot. Place the plate on the mugs, turn on the heat and you’ve got yourself a steamer! Make sure the plate isn’t too snug of a fit, however.
In the recipe for Choco Man, the dough is
chocolate; however, the recipe does not state how
much chocolate to put in. Can you tell me the
amount?
i know you say that manju is best right out of the steamer but what would be the best way to package it so you could take it to school or something?
Hi! I totally love this all, it’s great!
I have been recently introduced to Manju. It comes packaged in the freezer section of our local Asian foods store. Very convenient for dinner when we have a busy evening. However, my husband and I figured we could make better ones ourselves. Thanks so much for these recipies! I am preparing the Kare and Choco Man’s for our game night this evening. I will post again soon to let ya’ll know how it goes. Thanks again! These are the best recipies I’ve been able to find so far!
hi i made these and was missing about half a cup of flour…. so i used mochiko instead………….
no too good of an idea…. the dough was extremely sticky and disgusting….
maybe its just me…