Making Red Bean Paste (Anko)
This is the backbone of many traditional sweets, providing a deep, grounding earthiness. Making it from scratch allows you to control the sugar level and the texture, ranging from a rough, rustic mash to a polished, uniform paste.
Don't skimp on the soak.
Adzuki beans are stubborn. Giving them a long soak ensures they cook evenly and won't require excessive water to reach the right tenderness.
- Heavy-bottomed pot
- Mesh strainer or sieve
- Potato masher or rubber spatula
- Wooden spoon
What goes in.
- 1 cupdried adzuki beans
- 3/4 cupgranulated sugar
- 1 pinchsea salt
Achieving silkiness
If you want a refined, smooth paste, press the cooked beans through a fine-mesh sieve using a spatula. This leaves the tough outer skins behind and yields a consistent, velvet-like result.
The method.
Soak the beans
Rinse the beans under cold water and place them in a bowl with enough water to cover them by two inches. Let them sit for at least 8 hours, or overnight.
The first boil
Drain the soaking water. Place beans in the pot and cover with fresh water. Bring to a boil, let them bubble for five minutes, then drain again. This removes the bitter edge.
Simmer
Add fresh water again, just enough to cover the beans. Simmer on low heat until you can easily crush a bean between your thumb and finger. This usually takes about 60 to 90 minutes.
Sweeten
Drain any excess liquid, leaving the beans moist. Add the sugar and salt. Stir constantly over low heat; the mixture will loosen as the sugar melts, then thicken again as it evaporates.
Cool and set
Remove from heat when the paste holds its shape on the spoon. It will firm up significantly as it cools. Spread on a plate to speed up the cooling process.
Other turns to take.
Tsubuan
Keep the beans whole and omit the sieve step for a textured, chunky finish.
Koshian
Pass the cooked beans through a fine mesh sieve to remove all skins, resulting in a perfectly smooth, dark red paste.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Use a wooden spoon to stir; it doesn't conduct heat as quickly as metal and is gentler on the beans.
If the beans look dry while simmering, add a splash of water, but don't drown them or you will spend too much time reducing the liquid later.
Finished paste keeps in the refrigerator for up to a week, or you can freeze it in portions for several months.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why does my paste taste bitter?
You likely skipped the 'first boil' step or didn't change the water after the initial simmer. That first drain removes the tannins in the bean skins.
How do I know when to stop cooking?
Drag your spatula through the center of the pot. If the paste doesn't immediately flow back to fill the gap, it is ready.
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