How to Make Manju: Traditional Japanese Sweet with Smooth Red Bean Paste

Manju is a traditional Japanese wagashi made by wrapping red bean paste in a dough of wheat or rice flour and steaming it. The fluffy skin paired with smooth koshian (strained red bean paste) offers a simple yet deeply satisfying flavor.

Manju is usually bought from wagashi shops, but with the right ingredients, you can make it at home. This article walks you through the basic recipe using koshian.

What Is Manju?

Manju originated in China and came to Japan in the late Kamakura period. Originally filled with meat, it evolved in Japan to use red bean paste, developing into something uniquely Japanese.

Today, every region of Japan has its own signature manju: hot spring manju, sake manju, thin-skinned manju, and more.

Basic Manju Recipe

Ingredients (about 8 pieces)

Dough

• Cake flour: 100g
• Baking powder: 1 tsp
• Sugar: 30g
• Water: 3-4 tbsp

Filling

• Koshian (smooth red bean paste): 200g (store-bought is fine, about 25g per piece)

Preparation

Divide koshian into 8 equal portions and roll into balls (about 25g each). Fill the steamer with water and get it ready. Cut 8 pieces of parchment paper (about 5cm squares) to prevent sticking.

Directions

Step 1: Make the dough

Mix cake flour, baking powder, and sugar in a bowl. Add water gradually, kneading until the dough reaches earlobe softness. Adjust water as needed. Once combined, wrap and rest for about 10 minutes.

Step 2: Wrap the filling

Divide dough into 8 pieces. Flatten each into a thin circle (3-4mm thick, 7-8cm diameter), place koshian in the center. Pull up the edges to wrap, seal tightly, and place seam-side down.

Step 3: Steam

Bring the steamer to a boil, place manju on parchment paper with space between them. Steam on high for 12-15 minutes. Over-steaming can crack the skin, so watch the time.

Remove from the steamer and let cool slightly.

Tips for Better Results

Don't overwork the dough: Too much kneading develops gluten and makes the skin tough. Stop as soon as it comes together.

Keep the filling cold: Soft filling is hard to wrap. Chill it well in the fridge before using.

Roll the skin evenly: Thick edges and thin centers cause the filling to show through when steamed.

Wrap a cloth around the steamer lid: Condensation dripping onto manju makes the surface sticky. A cloth absorbs the moisture.

Flavor Variations

Matcha Manju

Add 1 teaspoon of matcha powder to the dough for green matcha manju. Pairs beautifully with koshian.

Brown Sugar Manju

Replace white sugar with brown sugar (kurozato) for a deeper, richer flavor. Similar to hot spring manju.

Pumpkin Manju

Replace koshian with pumpkin paste (steamed, mashed, with a little sugar) for a gently sweet pumpkin manju.

Storage

Same day: Best eaten fresh.

Next day onward: Wrap individually in plastic wrap and freeze. Reheat in the microwave for 30-40 seconds for a texture close to freshly steamed. Natural thawing alone makes the skin hard, so always reheat.

About Koshian

Koshian is red beans cooked and strained to remove skins, resulting in a smooth paste. Making it from scratch is labor-intensive, so store-bought koshian is the convenient choice.

The Farmi app carries koshian and red beans from Japanese confectionery makers. Cake flour and baking powder can be ordered together, so you can get all ingredients at once.

Summary

Manju is a wagashi you can make at home with just cake flour and koshian. No steamer? A deep frying pan with water works too.

Download the Farmi app and enjoy making Japanese wagashi right in HCMC.

Note: This article and some images were created with AI assistance and reviewed by our editorial team before publication.