Anko Recipe – Japanese Sweet Red Bean Paste Recipe
Anko is a traditional Japanese sweet red bean paste made from azuki beans, sugar, and a pinch of salt. This versatile paste is used in various Japanese confections like mochi, dorayaki, and taiyaki, offering a smooth, sweet, and slightly earthy flavor. Making anko from scratch involves boiling and simmering azuki beans until soft, then sweetening and mashing them to the desired consistency.
- Prep Time: 8 hours (includes soaking time)
- Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Total Time: 9 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: About 2 cups of anko
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Japanese
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients
- 1 cup azuki beans (200g / 7oz)
- 1 cup sugar (200g / 7oz)
- 1 pinch salt
- Boiling water, enough to cover the beans 1 cm (1/2 inch) above the top
- 5 cups water
Instructions
- Rinse and Soak Beans: Rinse 1 cup of azuki beans under cold running water to clean them. Soak the beans in water for several hours or overnight to help soften them and reduce cooking time.
- Boil the Beans: Drain the soaked beans and place them in a pot with 5 cups of fresh water. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook for around 5 minutes.
- Drain and Rinse: Drain the beans and rinse them with boiling water to remove any bitterness. This essential step helps improve the flavor of the anko.
- Simmer until Soft: Return the beans to the pot and add enough boiling water to cover them about 1 cm (1/2 inch) above the beans. Simmer gently over low heat for about 1 to 1.5 hours until the beans are very soft and breaking apart, adding more water if necessary to prevent drying out.
- Add Sugar and Salt: Once the beans are soft, add 1 cup of sugar and a pinch of salt to the pot. Stir to dissolve the sugar completely and continue cooking over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes until the mixture thickens to a paste-like consistency.
- Mash the Beans: Using a wooden spoon or a potato masher, mash the beans to your preferred texture. For smooth anko, mash thoroughly; for a chunkier texture, leave some whole beans intact.
- Cool and Store: Remove from heat and let the anko cool completely. Transfer it to a clean container and store in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze for longer storage.
Notes
- Soaking beans overnight eliminates excess starch and reduces cooking time.
- Rinsing beans after initial boiling removes bitterness from the azuki bean skins for a cleaner flavor.
- You can adjust the sugar amount based on your preferred sweetness.
- For smooth anko, you can blend or pass the paste through a fine sieve after mashing.
- Anko can be refrigerated for up to 7 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Use a heavy-bottomed pot to prevent beans from sticking and burning.