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1
Add the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt into a bowl as you measure them, and mix well with a whisk.
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2
Add the milk and sesame oil to the dry ingredients, and roughly mix with your hand, and when they start coming together, start kneading the dough.
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3
Knead it for about 3 minutes.
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4
When everything has come together, cover the bowl with cling film to prevent it from drying out.
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5
Leave it at room temperature for about 15 minutes.
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6
While the dough is resting, make the filling.
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7
Finely chop the Japanese leek, combine it with the rest of the filling ingredients in a bowl, and knead until it becomes sticky.
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8
Lightly dust a cutting board with flour, place the dough, and roll it out into a 25 cm long baton shape.
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9
Cut it into 8 even pieces.
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10
Roll each piece into a ball.
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11
Then flatten it between your hands, and roll it out with a rolling pin into a 8 cm diameter circle as shown in the photo.
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12
Place the dough on your palm, put the filling on the dough using a spoon, and wrap it up.
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13
Heat 2/3 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat, place the nikuman, pour 2/3 cup of water, and cover with a lid.
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14
Steam over medium heat for 3 minutes.
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15
Lower the heat to low, and steam for another 5-6 minutes.
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16
Once there is no water left in the frying pan, open the lid, and turn the heat to high for about 10 seconds to make the bottoms crispy.
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17
And they are done!
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18
The bottom of the nikuman looks like this.
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19
It's crispy, and delicious.
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20
The nikuman bun is so soft.
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21
If you add shiitake mushrooms or bamboo shoots in the filling, it will taste even more authentic.
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22
Addendum: Please use non-stick frying pan.
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23
If you use an iron frying pan, the nikuman may stick to it.
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24
(I've already experimented this.)
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25
In Step 2, if the dough is too sticky and won't come together easily, add cake flour a little at a time.
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26
I've been told that if you line the frying pan with a sheet of parchment paper when you cook the nikuman, the bottoms of nikuman won't burn too much.
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27
So please give it a try!
