Anko Bean Paste Recipe
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Anko, sweet red bean paste, is used in many confectioneries in Japan. It is prepared by boiling and sometimes mashing Azuki beans and then sweetening with sugar. The most common types of red bean paste are Tsubuan and Koshian.
Tsubuan is made by boiling and sweetening with sugar. Koshian is prepared by passing the softened beans through a sieve to remove the skins, this smooth paste is most commonly used for wagashi (traditional Japanese confectionery).
Ingredients
470g Tinned Azuki beans
Water
225g Granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
Makes around 400g of Tsubuan
1. Rinse the beans, and put in the pan. Add water (just over the top of the beans).
2. Bring the beans up to boiling point, then turn to a medium/low heat and simmer.
3. When the beans are soft and a bit mushy, drain them and put back into the pan. Add sugar.
4. Stir frequently so the sugar doesn't burn. It will soon start to thicken. Its ready when you can draw a line on the bottom of the pan with your spoon and it becomes visible for more than 2 seconds. Add the salt and take off the heat.
5. Pour into another container to cool down. It will thicken more as it cools.
6. Once it has cooled down, put into a container and store in the fridge where it will keep for 1 week.
If you don't plan on using it all at once you can divide into 100g portions, wrap cling film and store in the freezer where it will keep for 1 month.
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