← Nouns Cooking · Japanese

Ingredients

• 2 g agar (kanten) powder
• 400 ml Water
• 1 tbsp Sugar
• 80 g kokuto or dark muscovado sugar
• 60 ml Water
• 60 g glutinous rice flour (shiratamako)
• 55 ml Water
• 160 g sweet red bean paste (anko)
• 300 g mixed fruit: strawberries, kiwi, mandarin segments, banana, cut into bite-size pieces

Method

1. For the jelly, whisk the agar into the water in a small pan. Bring to the boil, stirring, and simmer for 2 min. Stir in the sugar, pour into a small container and leave to set: about 1 hour in the fridge.
2. For the syrup, simmer the brown sugar and water for 3–4 min, stirring, until slightly thickened. Cool; it thickens more as it cools.
3. For the mochi balls, mix the rice flour with the water little by little until it feels as soft as an earlobe. Roll into 12 small balls and press a dimple in each.
4. Drop the balls into boiling water. When they float, cook for 1–2 min more, then lift them into iced water.
5. Cut the set jelly into 1.5 cm cubes. Divide between bowls and add the mochi balls, red bean paste and fruit.
6. Pour the brown sugar syrup over at the table.

Tips

• Add a scoop of matcha or vanilla ice cream to make cream anmitsu.
• Make the jelly and syrup a day ahead; cook the mochi balls on the day as they firm up when chilled.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Just One Cookbook Japanese Cooking 101 Chopstick Chronicles