← Nouns Cooking · Japanese

Ingredients

• 400 g smooth sweet red bean paste (koshian)
• 360 ml Water
• 4 g Agar agar powder
• 2 tbsp Sugar (optional)
• 1 pinch Salt

Method

1. Rinse a small square or loaf tin (about 15 x 13 cm) with water and leave it wet, or line it with cling film.
2. Whisk the agar into the cold water in a saucepan. Bring to the boil over medium heat, stirring, then simmer for 2 min, still stirring, so the agar dissolves completely.
3. Add the bean paste, sugar (if you like it sweeter) and salt. Stir over low heat for 2–3 min until smooth, without letting it boil hard.
4. Take the pan off the heat and set it in a bowl of cold water. Stir gently for a few minutes, until the mix cools and thickens slightly; this stops the paste sinking and the water rising to the top.
5. Pour into the tin, skim off any bubbles and leave to set at room temperature, then chill for at least 2 hours.
6. Turn out and cut into neat blocks. Serve cold with green tea.

Tips

• Agar sets firmly even at room temperature and never needs gelatine, so it is naturally vegan.
• Check the bean paste label: some brands add wheat syrup.

Sources

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

Just One Cookbook Chopstick Chronicles