Red Beans Paste

I have been thinking to make the red bean s paste long time ago, especially standing in this nihongo land, just make me wanted to make ‘at least’ once before I return home. Over here they just love to eat the red bean so much, like red beans mochi, red bean sweets and also the favourite food of doremon “铜锣烧”, etc. The red beans selling here looks little different than the homeland. It is more shining and usually has 3 available size – small, medium and large.  I am wondering, are they polished the bean before.

Looking at the recipes, there have few ways to make it. I decided to go for the economical way, which is to drink the red bean soup and also have the bean for the paste.  First time doing it a bit worry of the result. Indeed after all is not that tough, just the matter of time to make it.

Ingredients:

-          1 cup of red bean

-          200g of sugar

-          ½ tbsp of butter

-          Water to boil the red bean soup

Red beans soup

(1)    Rinse the red beans. 

(2)    Boil the red beans in the water. The water based on personal taste. As long as the water covered the red bean fully.

(3)    Boiled for at least 1 and half hours or till the red bean is soft and tender. The best is to soak red beans for at least 3 to 8 hours to reduce the cooking time.  To confirm whether it is really soft and tender, you may try to break it with your tongue. But watch out, don’t burn your tongue oh!!!

(4)    Separate the red beans with the soup. Add in some sugar according own taste.

(5)    Set the red beans aside till it is cold. 

Red beans paste

(1)    When cold, blend in the food processor.

(2)    After blended the red bean, the weighted the paste is around 600g. I decided to add in 200g of sugar and cook the paste together. (I tried to reduce the sugar in the normal recipe, usually a cup of bean, will need a cup of sugar. To weight the paste alone is to measure the ratio of the sugar needed.)

The crucial time is coming. How to cook the red beans paste.

Simmer the red beans paste with the butter and sugars without the lid, stirring it very frequently until the mixture becomes somewhat thicken. So how thick is thick enough? You can try to use the wooden spatula to scrape it, if you able to see the bottom of the pot and it is not joining it together easily. That should be ready. The paste will become harder as it cools.

It is ready to use J You may keep it in the refrigerator overnight or to be use anytime. I guess it can last for around a week. Good luck.