Japanese Milk Bread Rolls

For the Tangzhong (starter):

Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan, and whisk until no lumps remain. Place the saucepan over low heat, and cook the mixture, whisking constantly, until thick and the whisk leaves lines on the bottom of the pan, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the tangzhong to a small mixing bowl or measuring cup and let it cool to room temperature.
For the dough:

Combine the cooled tangzhong with the remaining dough ingredients, then mix and knead – by hand, mixer, or bread machine – until a smooth, elastic dough forms. Shape the dough into a ball, and let it rest in a lightly greased, covered bowl for 60 to 90 minutes, until it is puffy but not necessarily doubled in bulk.

Gently deflate the dough, divide it into 8 equal pieces (or 10 pieces for smaller rolls), and shape each piece into a ball. Place the rolls into a lightly greased 8- or 9-inch round cake pan. Cover the pan, and let the rolls rest for 40 to 50 minutes, until puffy.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush the rolls with milk or egg wash (1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water), and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown on top. A digital thermometer inserted into the center of the middle roll should read at least 190 degrees.

Remove the rolls from the oven and allow them to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a rack to cool completely.