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1
Split the sweetened bean paste into 15 equal parts and roll into balls.
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2
Each ball should weigh around 25 g.
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3
Put the brown sugar and water in a pan and dissolve the sugar over a low heat.
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4
Once dissolved, pass the mixture through a tea strainer and leave to cool.
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5
This picture shows how it looks when cooled.
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6
Add the egg yolk and some baking soda mixed with a little water (not listed), into the sugar mixture.
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7
Sift the cake flour into the mixture and mix.
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8
The resulting dough will be soft and sticky.
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9
If it's too sticky too handle add a little cake flour.
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10
Turn the dough out onto a well dusted surface and separate into 15 equal parts.
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11
Dust your hands and the dough well, and flatten the dough into a round shape.
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12
Place a piece of sweetened bean paste on top of the dough.
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13
If you are holding the dough with your right hand, use your left fingers to turn the sweetened bean paste with the dough and bring the dough upwards to wrap completely.
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14
Use your right fingertips to press the dough down around the paste gently.
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15
If this is difficult, you can place a piece of dough on top of the bean paste ball and gently stretch it underneath.
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16
Once the bean paste is wrapped, reshape the manju into balls.
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17
Place into paper cupcake cups and steam for 10 minutes.
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18
I don't own a steamer so I just lined the manju up on a plate like in the photo and steamed them in a frying pan with water and covered with a cloth.
