Barappa Manju (ばらっぱまんじゅう)

Barappa manju is a steamed wheat-flour bun filled with sweet red bean paste, cooked on a single wild leaf. It comes from the Hokuso area of northern Chiba Prefecture, and people there eat it during summer festivals and Obon. The leaf gives the sweet its name, its scent and most of its character. This guide covers what barappa manju actually is, how it tastes, why the leaf matters, and where you can realistically find it. It also clears up two mix-ups that come up constantly, including the assumption that this is an Okinawan or Amami sweet. It is not. Barappa Manju at a Glance Japanese name: ばらっぱまんじゅう Where: Hokuso area, northern Chiba Prefecture What it is: Steamed wheat bun with sweet azuki bean filling The leaf: Smilax china, called barappa locally Season: Summer festivals and Obon, roughly late June to August Size: Small, around 25 g of dough per bun Eat the leaf? No, peel it off first TOCWhat Is Barappa Manju? The Short Answer Barappa manju is a plain country manju, dressed up by a leaf. Cooks mix wheat flour, sugar and baking powder into a soft dough, wrap it around sweet azuki bean paste, and set each bun on a glossy green leaf. Then the whole tray goes into a steamer for ten...