Pork Manju

Pork Manju
This Recipe Brings Me Back To My Childhood Memory!
Difficulty: Moderate
Prep Time:  4 hours
Cooking Time: 1 hour

 Ingredients
Dough
2 1/2 cups sifted flour + dusting
1 package of yeast
4 tbsp + 6 tbsp warm water, plus additional as needed
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp lard
1/3 tsp baking powder
oil for greasing

Cooking Tools
2 Large mixing bowl
parchment lined sheet pan
Bamboo steamer
Skillet
Parchment paper (8) cut 4" x 4"
Rolling pin
Wok

Directions
In a clean mixing bowl add 4 tbsp of warm water, sugar and yeast.  Activate yeast for about 10 minutes.  Into the mixing bowl, add; flour, lard, salt and 6 tbsp of warm water.  Work flour into ingredients and knead into a dough ball, add additional water as necessary, the dough should pull away from the bowl, place needed dough into a slightly greased mixing bowl and place in a warm location covered to rise for 1 1/2 hours.  Remove risen dough onto a floured + 1/3 tsp baking powder surface and knead dough for an additional few minutes and place back into the greased mixing bowl, cover to rise again for 1 hour.  Remove risen dough onto a lightly dusted surface and divide dough into 8 dough balls. Roll out each dough ball into about 5-6 inches and stuff each round with 2 heaping tbsp of the Sweet Miso Pork Filling (recipe below) into the center, fold up all sides, seal the seams and place each round ball seam side down onto a flour dusted parchment lined sheet pan.  Place covered stuffed dough balls in a warm location and let it rise again for 1 more hour.  Place wok on medium heat and add water, just enough before it hits the bottom of the bamboo steamer.  Place stuffed dough balls on 4" x 4" parchment paper seam side down and place in steamer with lid and steam for 15 minutes. It is best to cook in batches.
Yields 8

 Ingredients
Sweet Miso Pork Filling
1 lb. pork belly, minced
3/4 cup miso
1 cup sugar
3 tbsp sake
1 tbsp ginger, grated
1 tbsp vegetable oil

Directions
On medium low heat, add minced pork belly to the skillet with oil and cook until nice and crispy and the fat has rendered down, about 20 minutes, add the rest of the ingredients and cook on low simmer for additional 15 minutes.  Set aside to cool before stuffing dough.