Ingredients
(makes 10)
Sweet potato cake
Sweet potato (peeled) : 200g
Caster sugar : 50g
Salt : 1 pinch
Plain flour : As needed
Roast soy beans (for driving out devils)
Dried soy beans : 100g
Oni Manju (Devil Cakes) are a regional sweet best known in Aichi Prefecture. Made using lots of sweet potato, their name is said to be derived from their spiky appearance that brings to mind the horns of a devil. It seems that sweet potato, which traditionally is a staple food due to the popularity of its cultivation, inevitably got used in sweets. Oni, of course, are the symbol of evil featured prominently in Setsubun, a holiday on the 3rd of February when people try to drive out misfortune and pray for a good harvest and good luck. ‘Fortune in, devils out!’ we cry, throwing beans. Why not use our recipe to make your own roasted soy beans for driving out devils?
Method
Oni Manju
- Cut the sweet potato into 1cm dice, then immediately soak in cold water to remove any bitterness and prevent discolouration (photo 1).
- Drain off the water, dry the sweet potato with paper towel, then sprinkle with the caster sugar and salt. Mix well.
- When sugar has completely dissolved and the sweet potato is exuding moisture, sprinkle in about half as much plain flour as the moisture and stir (photos 2, 3).
- Lay out baking paper in a steamer. Divide the dough into 10 small cakes and use a spoon and chopsticks to place in the steamer, spacing out evenly. Pour around 300ml of boiling water beneath the baking paper, put on the lid, and steam over a medium heat for around 12 minutes (photo 4).
Roast soy beans (for driving out devils)
- Put soy beans in a pot with five times their volume of boiling water. Put on the lid and leave to soak for 1 hour.
- Drain the soaked soy beans well, then put on a plate with two layers of paper towel beneath and one layer on top. Microwave for 5 minutes (photo 5).
- Take out the beans and stir, then heat for 1 more minute. Repeat this process 2-3 times, checking their crunchiness each time. If the beans seem undercooked, continue to cook for 1 minute at a time until done. Take care not to burn them.
