Japanese•gourmet
Sweet Red Bean Paste (Anko) - 餡子
A traditional Japanese sweet red bean paste made with azuki beans.
- Prep time
- 5 min
- Cook time
- 1 hr 10 min
- Yield
- 1 serving
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1/2 cup azuki beans (about 105 grams)
- 4 cups water
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Soak azuki beans for 6-8 hours or overnight. Rinse under cold water and drain.
- 2
Add beans to a pot along with 4 cups of water and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 1 hour or until beans are soft enough that you can easily squash them between your fingers.
- 3
Drain well and return beans to the pot.
- 4
Add sugar and salt and turn the heat on to medium high. Stir constantly for 7-10 minutes and occasionally mash the beans against the side of the pot until the mixture turns into a paste.
- 5
Turn the heat off and transfer the paste into a bowl. Cool to room temperature before using.