Description

Anko paste is a traditional Japanese dessert made from Azuki beans. But you can meet him not only in Japan, but also in China, which is considered his homeland, and also in Korea. The taste of sweet bean paste is somewhat unusual for us. The sweetness is not as pronounced as in desserts that are familiar to our taste. Although the benefits of Anko are undeniable, because it consists exclusively of beans, sugar and a small amount of salt. No dyes or flavors, only natural ingredients!

Anko paste can be used as a dessert on its own or as a filling for making wagashi(Japanese cakes). An analogy can be drawn with condensed milk, which you can eat with a spoon and stuff all kinds of pies, cookies, and cakes with it. In general, this product is universal.

Buying Anko bean paste is quite problematic, and not all Japanese restaurants offer it, so it will be easiest to prepare it. The recipe is completely unpretentious, and therefore you can cope with it with ease!

So, we invite you to join us for a step-by-step recipe for making Anko Sweet Bean Paste!

Ingredients

Cooking steps

To prepare Anko we need 200 grams of Azuki beans.



The beans need to be washed thoroughly in running water, for which it is most convenient to use a colander. You will also need to remove spoiled beans from the total adzuki mass.

After the above manipulations, place the beans in a saucepan and fill them with filtered water in a ratio of one to three (one part adzuki and three parts water).



Now we put the pan with beans on the stove. When the water boils, we will place the adzuki in a colander. Then fill the beans with water again (the proportions are the same), and then return them to the stove.

You need to cook the beans for about an hour and a half over low heat, until they are thoroughly boiled. During the cooking process, you need to constantly add water so that the adzuki is constantly covered with it.

This time, the water after the beans will need to be saved and poured into a separate container (we will need it later).



Pour half of the required amount of sugar into the pan with adzuki and place it on low heat for 10 minutes.



When the sugar has melted, mash the entire contents of the pan with a wooden spoon and add the other half of the required amount of sugar. Mix the ingredients thoroughly. You should get a fairly thick puree.



Leave Anko on the stove for another 10-15 minutes, stirring it constantly. You can determine its readiness by its characteristic dark shade. If the paste turns out to be too thick, it can be diluted with the water in which the adzuki was cooked.

At this stage, do not forget to add a little salt to the bean paste.



The Anko is left to cool and then it can be used.



* The paste should be stored in the refrigerator. It can stay in cling film for about a week; for longer storage, Anko should be placed in an airtight container.

Bon appetit!

Red sweet adzuki bean paste, Hundousha(Chinese: 红豆沙. Pinyin Hongdou Sha) is used in Chinese, Japanese and Korean cuisines, and is less commonly used in other regional cuisines of Southeast Asia. In Japan she is called Azuki (Japanese: 小豆餡, rH. Azuki‎), and in Korea - Phatso (Korean: 팥소). In English this paste is called Red bean paste. In Chinese and Japanese, sweet bean pastes are separated. There are sweet pastes made from any variety of beans; Hundousha is a paste made specifically from red Adzuki beans.

Azuki is a transliteration from Japanese of the name of this type of bean. The scientific name of these beans is Vigna angularis, or angular bean. This bean variety has been cultivated in China for over 3,000 years and is ubiquitous in the Southeast Asian region. The beans are dark red in color, but can also come in other colors (such as black, gray and even variegated). But to produce sweet bean paste, only red beans are used. Ripe beans are ground, then the husks are sifted out, after which the bean mass is boiled and then sweetened with sugar or honey. The result is a dark red paste, homogeneous, quite thick (it can be spread on bread like butter) and sweet in taste. Actually, it is these qualities that have made pasta so in demand and popular in Asian cuisines.

Hundousha red sweet bean paste is a ready-to-use product that does not require additional heat treatment. The range of application of this paste is quite wide - it is used in the preparation of sweet cereals and soups, sweet pastries, desserts, ice cream, jelly and even drinks. For example, in Japan Pepsi-Cola with red bean paste is sold.

In the homeland of this sweet paste, in the Celestial Empire, probably the most famous and popular treat with it is. In China they are called Yuebing (Chinese: 月饼, pinyin Yuebing). This is a traditional type of baking that is made in China for the Mid-Autumn Festival. A seasonal treat that at other times of the year can only be found in specialized stores or prepared yourself. Red sweet bean paste is probably the most popular filling, although there are quite a lot of types of filling for these gingerbread cookies.

An equally popular treat for local sweet tooths is Nomi Ci (Chinese: 糯米糍, pinyin Nuomi ci). These are rice flour balls with sweet paste in coconut flakes. This is a very similar look and taste to Japanese mochi (or mochi), which, by the way, are also filled with this paste. One of the varieties of Japanese mochi looks very impressive - (Japanese 大福餅, rH. Daifukumochi), if you cut it in half lengthwise, then the cut reveals a strawberry framed by red paste. By the way, the name “daifuku mochi” literally means “great luck.”

Or a traditional ancient Beijing sweet with a funny name (Chinese: 驴打滚, pinyin: Ludagun). This dessert looks like a roll and is made from rice flour dough, which is prepared like mochi dough. Before folding the rolled out sheet of dough, it is coated with red sweet paste.

Another famous Chinese dish is prepared with Hongdousha paste - Zongzi (Chinese: 粽子, pinyin Zongzi). This is a kind of cabbage roll with rice filling and sweet paste, only this “cabbage roll” is wrapped in a bamboo or reed leaf. These rice pyramids, wrapped in leaves, are a permanent ritual treat at the Double Five festival (also known as the Dragon Boat Festival).

During the celebration of another Chinese festival, the Lantern Festival, Tangyuan rice balls (Chinese: 湯圓, pinyin Tangyuan) are prepared, with sweet bean paste used as one of the favorite fillings.

As one of the filling options, sweet bean paste is used in steamed Baozi cakes (Chinese: 包子, pinyin Baozi).

A sweet soup with Azuki beans and sweet paste is popular in China - Hongdou tan (Chinese: 紅豆汤, pinyin Hongdou tang), this soup is also popular in Japan - and it is called Shiruko (Japanese: 汁粉, rH. Shiruko).

Of course, it’s worth remembering that one of the favorite fillings is sweet adzuki bean paste. Or an interesting version of mochi - mochi balls are strung on a bamboo skewer, like a kebab - Dango (Japanese 団子, rH. Dango).

No less popular and beloved dessert is the famous Japanese cake made from sponge dough - Dorayaki (Japanese: どら焼き, rH. Dorayaki). This cake consists of two golden brown pancakes, between which a sweet paste is spread, which also glues them together.

In Japan, fish-shaped cookies are made with red sweet paste filling - Taiyaki (Japanese 鯛焼き, rH. Taiyaki), the name literally translates as “baked sea bream”.

In Japan, they prepare a sweet jelly from red paste and agar-agar - called Yokan (Japanese 羊羹, rH. Yokan).

In Korea, they make very tasty cookies with sweet paste, similar to the Russian “Nuts with Condensed Milk” cookies. Koreans call nut cookies Hodugwaja (Korean: 호두과자). The filling for these cookies consists of a mixture of walnuts and sweet paste.

In Korean national cuisine, there are rice donuts with a sweet filling - Chapsal Donut (Korean 찹쌀도넛). Or steamed buns with sweet paste - Hoppan (Korean: 호빵).

The Korean sweet “Honey Bread” - Kkulppan (Korean: 꿀빵) is very interesting. These are deep fried buns filled with red paste, dipped in syrup and sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds.

It is worth recalling the traditional Korean treat on the occasion of the Chuseok harvest festival - steamed rice dough cakes with sweet Songpyeong bean paste (Korean: 송편).

An interesting Korean refreshing dessert made from crushed ice and sweet paste is Phatbinsu (Korean: 팥빙수).

Of course, there are many more Asian dishes with red bean paste than we could cover in this short review. Some red paste dishes require special adaptations, such as Chinese mooncakes or Japanese fish cookies. And some (for example, Japanese sponge cake) are very simple and require only a little effort.

Overall, it's worth a try!

Anko- sweet paste made from red azuki beans. In Japan it is used as a filling for various types of wagashi. Anko bla was invented in China, but is very actively used in Japanese cuisine.

Ingredients:

adzuki beans – 200 g (any sweet red bean will do)

sugar – 200 - 250 g

salt - to taste

Preparation:

1. Measure 200 grams of beans

2. Rinse the beans well, after sorting out any spoiled ones. Place the beans in a saucepan and add water. 3 parts water to 1 part beans.

3. Place the pan on the fire, when the water boils, drain the beans in a colander and add water again in the same ratio. If the water boils away, be sure to top it up. The beans should be covered with water at all times. Cook the beans for about 1-1.5 hours over low heat. When the beans are very soft, drain the remaining water into a separate bowl. Do not drain the water! – it might still come in handy!

4. Add half the sugar to the pan with the beans and put on the fire for another 10 minutes.

5. When the sugar has melted, use a wooden spatula or masher to gently mash the beans and sugar. Add the second half of sugar, mix everything thoroughly. The result should be a mass similar to thick puree.

6. Cook over low heat for 10-15 minutes until the bean mass turns dark brown or maroon in color. If the puree becomes too thick during cooking, add previously drained water (no water was added in the proposed recipe). Stir the pasta constantly to prevent it from burning.
At the end of cooking, you can add a little salt.

7. Cool the pasta. The filling for wagashi is ready.

Anko paste can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. For longer storage, transfer the pasta to a plastic container or cling film and place in the freezer.

Everyone knows beans and many people love them, but using them for desserts is somewhat unusual and unusual for us. Meanwhile, there is a special variety, cultivated for centuries, rich not only in protein, but also in sugars.

Legume Champion

Its second name is cowpea angularis. This is a whole genus of herbaceous annual plants from its natural habitat - Southeast Asia and the Himalayas, where it was first cultivated. The plant pods contain small beans (up to 5 mm in length), they can have different colors: black, gray, white, with varying degrees of variegation. However, adzuki is the most famous and valuable. In Japan, for example, it is second in popularity after It is a valuable source of vegetable protein - the main building material for the human body. In addition, it contains sufficient amounts of folic acid, iron and complex carbohydrates.

In Asia, adzuki is most often used in the preparation of various desserts and baked goods. In particular, sweet bean paste - anko - is very popular in China and Japan. It is used as an independent dish or filling for various types of baked goods.

Cooking adzuki beans

It differs from the usual and familiar adzuki in its softness, sweetish taste and subtle nutty aroma. The main advantage and nuance when preparing it is that there is no need to soak the beans. Without such preliminary preparation, beans cook quickly.

The beans need to be washed and then filled with water in a ratio of 1:3. Cook over low heat after boiling for about 45 minutes. Drain the remaining liquid from the finished beans. With this method of preparation, almost all useful and valuable components are preserved. A double boiler will be a good helper in this case - the beans are cooked in it for about 1.5 hours.

If you come across adzuki beans in the store, recipes using them will come in handy. However, it is worth noting that most of them are very exotic for our cuisine and sometimes it can be difficult to find some ingredients. We suggest you try cooking adzuki beans as a second course and traditional Asian delicacies.

Beans with lentils and peppers

A hearty second course prepared according to this recipe is an excellent source of protein. However, it has a low calorie content. You will need:

• adzuki beans - 50 g;
• Puy lentils - 30 g;
• red beans (regular) - 50 g;
• olive oil - 50 ml;
• bell pepper (medium size) - 2 pcs.;
• onions - 1 pc.;
• chili pepper - 1 pc.;
• tomatoes - 300 g;
• garlic - 2 cloves;
• tomato paste - 500 ml;
• fresh cilantro - 1 bunch;
• salt and pepper to taste.

Regular beans need to be soaked overnight in enough water, then dried. The peculiarity of the preparation of this dish lies in a special stage - scalding with boiling water. The beans need to be boiled, dried and rinsed in cold water. Then add water and cook, uncovered, over high heat for 10 minutes. Then simmer covered over low heat until soft (30-40 minutes).

Cook adzuki beans and lentils in a similar way in a separate saucepan; the cooking time for these ingredients is reduced to 12-15 and 20-25 minutes, respectively. Dry all beans and set aside.

In a thick frying pan, fry the onion, red pepper, chili, and garlic in heated olive oil until soft. This takes about five minutes. Sprinkle chili powder and salt on top of vegetables. Then add all the legumes, tomatoes and tomato paste, simmer the mixture for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. It should become thick in consistency. At the end of cooking, add chopped cilantro.

Anko recipe

This is a very unusual delicacy, popular in Japan and China. To prepare it, you will need:

• adzuki beans - 200 g;
• white sugar - 200 g;
• salt - one pinch.

It is recommended to soak the beans in water overnight. After 8-12 hours you can start cooking. Pour water over the beans to 4-5 cm above the surface and bring to a boil over high heat, then add liquid again and cook for about an hour. The finished beans should be easily crushed with your fingers.

Sugar is poured into the semi-finished paste in three stages, while the heat must be high and the mixture must be constantly stirred. Add salt. The paste will be ready when the bottom is exposed for 3-4 seconds while stirring. Turn off the heat, let the mixture cool slightly and put it into portion bags if you do not plan to use it right away. Bean paste can be stored in the refrigerator for a week, and in the freezer for up to one month.

A lot depends on the cooking time. As you can see in the photo, the consistency is completely different. However, like the original names. In the photo above, on the left is tsibuan, and on the right is koshian (a more pasty mass). Try different options and choose the best for you!

Mochi - Japanese dessert

Ingredients:

• adzuki beans - 300 g;
• rice flour - 250 g;
• corn starch - 250 g;
• salt - one pinch;
• sugar - 100 g;
• powdered sugar - 200 g;
• water - 250 g.

The beans need to be boiled for 45 minutes with the addition of 100 g of sugar. Let the mixture cool and grind it to a puree consistency, or go the more complicated route and prepare bean paste according to the previous recipe.

Mix powdered sugar and starch in a special bowl, then add water and cook in the microwave at highest power for 1-2 minutes. Time is individual and depends on many indicators. Ideally, you should end up with a smooth, soft, elastic and sticky, but not slippery mass.

Make flat cakes from the resulting dough and place the bean paste inside, then form a ball, as shown in the photo above, and roll it in powdered sugar.

This is how you get an unusual Japanese dessert - mochi. You can experiment with filling and topping using pistachios, persimmons, sesame seeds, etc.

• Recipe author:
• After cooking you will receive: 4 servings
• Cooking time: 1 hour 40 minutes

Ingredients

• Red beans: 200 grams, (adzuki)
• Water: as needed
• Sugar: 200 grams
• Salt: 1 pinch

Instructions

• 1. Soak adzuki beans overnight (8-12 hours).
• 2. Wash the adzuki beans.
• 3. Place the beans in a large saucepan and fill with water (so that the water level above the beans is 3–5 cm higher). Turn on high heat.
• 4. When it boils, turn off the heat and cover the pan with a lid. Leave for 5 minutes.
• 5. Drain the water and place the beans in a colander.
• 6. Return the adzuki beans back to the pan. Pour in enough water to cover the beans and turn on high heat. When the water boils, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer.
• 7. After a while, the water will evaporate. You will need to add additional water to the pan to cover the beans (the water level is just above the beans). If you add too much water, the beans will move and break. Cook for 1 hour.
• 8. Squeeze 1 adzuki with your fingers. If it breaks easily, the beans are ready.
• 9. Increase heat to high and add sugar (~1/3 cup 3 times at different times), cook, stirring occasionally. When the bean mixture thickens a little, add salt and turn off the heat. The Anko will thicken more as it cools.
• 10. Pour into a container and let cool (do not leave cooked beans in the pan!). Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. If you do not plan to use the bean paste all at once, you can divide it into 100 g portions. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in a Zip-lock bag. Store in the refrigerator for a week and in the freezer for up to 1 month.
• 11. Prepare Tsubushian paste. Mash the boiled beans with a masher or fork. Add a little water and bring the mixture to a paste consistency. Note: You can puree the cooked beans and water in a food processor. Making Koshian paste. Strain the paste through a sieve to remove the bean husks and make the paste more homogeneous. Note: You may need to add a little water to help the beans pass through the sieve. If the paste turns out to be too liquid, simmer the beans over low heat to remove excess liquid.

Dish category: Dessert
Kitchen: Japanese food
Difficulty: easy
Bon appetit!