Anko Recipe - Japanese Sweet Red Bean Paste (2024)

FAQs

What can you use anko paste for? ›

Anko, or red bean paste, is used in Japanese, Chinese, and Korean desserts. It's made by boiling azuki beans/adzuki beans with sugar and a pinch of salt. The Japanese use the sweetened paste in many traditional Japanese sweets, such as Daif*cku Mochi, Dango, Dorayaki, Taiyaki, Manju, Zenzai, and Anpan.

Many people are often surprised to hear that beans can be enjoyed as dessert in Japan. But "anko", a paste made from red beans called "azuki", is a staple in traditional Japanese confectionery, and has been enjoyed by Japanese people for centuries.

It is the most basic and favorable filling in traditional Japanese confectionery and pastry. Whether it's Daif*cku Mochi, Dango, Dorayaki, Taiyaki, Manju, or Anpan, they are filled with Anko and bursting with the deep, sweet flavor of red beans. So let's learn how to make Anko red bean paste today!

Sweet bean paste is a food ingredient used throughout East Asian cuisine, primarily as a filling for sweet desserts and pastries.

I believe red bean paste is normally used in desserts because it is sweetened. You could try making dorayaki, red bean steamed buns, red bean nian gao, mooncake, ice cream, or daif*cku. The only savory use that I can think of would be in zhong zi, but even that can be on the sweeter side.

This is the most common and popular type of red bean paste eaten in Chinese confections. It can also be eaten on its own or in sweet soups.

As well as being an acronym for “A New Kind Of”, the name is also an abbreviation of Kmart's previous “&Co” branding. In 2018 Kmart announced it would stop branding its products by department and streamline them under a single name.

There are two types of anko: Tsubu-an, which is made by cooking adzuki beans so as not to crush the grains, and koshi-an, which is cooked adzuki paste with the outer skin removed. Besides "wagashi", it is also used as an ingredient of the popular Japanese bread "Anpan" (sweet bread with anko inside of it).

Concluding, he said, “There are no side effects of consuming adzuki beans but eating them uncooked or in large quantity can cause digestive issues such as gas, bloating, flatulence, mild diarrhoea, and nausea.”

"Red bean paste, which is rich in carbohydrates and dietary fiber, is indispensable for adjusting the intestinal environment, which tends to be disrupted when one diets," Nagai says. Bodybuilders in the United States regularly eat anko these days, he says.

What is red bean paste called in Japan? ›

Anko is a sweet red bean paste that's used to hold together pastries, cakes, and other desserts that come from Japan. Store cooled anko in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Monaka. Monaka are traditional Japanese sweets consisting of two crisp and airy wafers made from sticky rice that are sandwiched around sweetened red bean paste. The wafers are typically crafted into the shape of a flower such as the cherry blossom, chrysanthemum, or plum blossom.

Red bean paste often has a high sugar content, which is not overly healthy. However, the beans themselves are a fantastic source of protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals, which are good for the body. If eaten in moderation, dishes and sweets containing red bean paste can be a part of a healthy balanced diet.

There are a few substitutes for red bean paste, white bean paste, and black sesame paste. Some common substitutes include: Red bean paste: You can use any type of bean paste, such as black bean paste or mung bean paste. You can also use mashed sweet potatoes or pumpkin.

Red Bean Mochi is a great way to use up leftover red bean paste you might have in the freezer from making our other red bean treats, like Chinese bakery red bean bread, mooncakes, or red bean buns (forever my childhood love).

Black, salty, slightly sweet, and earthy, this paste is made with a mixture of soybeans, flour, and caramel and then fermented. It's essential for making jjajangmyeon (Noodles and black bean sauce). After opening, store in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

Crushed yellow bean sauce is also used in Vietnamese cooking and stir fries, often called 'ground bean sauce', or 'yellow soy bean sauce'. As well as using the crushed yellow bean sauce in zha jiang mian, it's also delicious in braised red meat dishes.