red bean paste

If you love Chinese baked goods, and enjoy making them at home as much as I do, then it’s a must to master a basic red bean paste recipe like this one!

Sweet Red Bean Paste Recipe (In an Instant Pot)

red beans ((adzuki beans))

water

dried orange peel

vegetable oil ((250 ml))

rock sugar ((or

Rinse the adzuki beans, drain them, and add to your Instant Pot along with 3½ cups of water and 5 grams of dried orange peel, if using. Close the lid and set your Instant Pot on the Bean/Chili setting for 25 minutes. Once the cooking time has elapsed, leave it untouched for another 10 minutes. Remember, before you open the lid, carefully release the vent to let out the steam, and protect your hand with an oven mitt.

Carefully transfer the cooked beans and liquid to a food processor to puree. If you have a smaller food processor, puree it in multiple batches as needed.

In a thick-bottomed pan or nonstick pan, heat ¼ cup oil over medium heat. Add the adzuki bean puree and the sugar. Cook down until you have a thick paste. This process takes about 30-40 minutes, and you should only use medium/medium low heat. Remember to stir from the bottom every couple of minutes to prevent sticking and/or burning.

During the cooking process, you can adjust the sugar to taste, and add the remaining oil in three portions every 10 minutes, ensuring the oil is well absorbed before adding more. The filling is done once it can hold its shape and a rubber spatula comes out clean.

Let the filling cool until it’s only warm to the touch. If you pre-make the filling, store it in a clean, air-tight container after it has cooled completely. The shelf life in the refrigerator should be at least a week.

Made with glutinous rice and red bean paste, these Japanese Sweet Rice Balls are offered to one’s ancestors and eaten during the spring and autumn equinoxes in Japan. They are called Botamochi in spring and Ohagi in autumn.

Ohagi (Botamochi)

rice cooker cups sweet rice/glutinous rice (mochigome) ((180 ml cup x 2 = 360 ml))

rice

salt

Tbsp toasted black sesame seeds

Tbsp sugar

Tbsp kinako (soybean flour)

1.3 lb red bean paste (anko) ((I use my homemade anko recipe))

Gather all the ingredients. For an easy transfer, I use aluminum cup liners to hold Ohagi (Botamochi). You can get it in the bento section at a Japanese grocery store.

Combine the glutinous rice and rice together in a large bowl and rinse the rice a few times.

Use your fingers to gently wash the rice in a circular motion for 10-15 seconds. Repeat this process 1-2 times. Add water and discard the water. Repeat this process 1-2 times. When the water is almost clear, drain well.

Transfer the drained rice to the rice cooker. Add water (600 ml for my 3 rice cooker cups).

Let soak for 20 minutes and press “start” to cook on regular rice cooking mode.

To Prepare the Rice

While the rice is being cooked, prepare the toppings/fillings. Grind sesame seeds with a pestle in a Japanese mortar.

Transfer to a medium bowl and add sugar. Mix well together.

In another medium bowl, combine soybean flour and sugar and mix well together.

Using a small cookie scoop, make red bean paste balls. Each scoop/ball should be 2 teaspoons (0.7 oz or 20 g) of red bean paste.

To Prepare the Toppings/Filling

When the rice is almost finished cooking, make saltwater by combining 1 cup water and 1 tsp salt. Mix well together. This is for soaking the wooden rolling pin or pestle before pounding the glutinous rice.

Once the rice is cooked, remove the rice cooker bowl from the cooker. While it’s hot, start pounding with the wooden pestle or rolling pin.

The wooden rolling pin gets sticky from the glutinous rice. Soak it every few poundings. Stop pounding when the glutinous rice is half mashed/pounded (This is up to your liking. The rice should be mostly mashed but you can still see some rice grains).

To Pound Cooked Rice

Moisten your hands with the saltwater and grab a small amount of pounded glutinous rice (1.4 oz or 40 g). Fatten it to make a round shape.

Once it’s about 2 ½ inch diameter, put one Anko ball in the middle.

Carefully gather up the pounded glutinous rice around the Anko to enclose the filling.

Pinch the seam and form the rice ball into a small oval-shaped ball.

Moisten the plate or tray with saltwater and transfer the oval-shaped rice balls.

To make the soybean flour-coated Ohagi (Botamochi), put the rice ball (with Anko filling) in the soybean flour mix. Rotate a few times to coat well with the mixture and transfer to an aluminum foil liner.

To make the sesame-coated Ohagi (Botamochi), put the rice ball (with Anko filling) in the black sesame mix. Rotate a few times to coat well with the mixture and transfer to an aluminum liner.

To make the soybean flour/sesame-coated Ohagi (Botamochi)

Make a small oval-shaped ball with the pounded glutinous rice (1.4 oz or 40 g).

Using a small cookie scoop, spread 2 scoops of Anko (total of 4 teaspoons, 1.4 oz or 40 g) into a round, flat shape on a piece of plastic wrap.

Put the rice ball on top and evenly coat the Anko around the rice ball.

Pull the plastic wrap and spread the Anko evenly and transfer it to an aluminum liner.

To make the Anko-coated Ohagi (Botamochi),

When you’re ready to serve Ohagi (Botamochi), reapply the black sesame and soybean flour mixture. Serve them with green tea.

To Serve

It’s best to keep them in a cool place and enjoy them as soon as possible (half-day to 12 hours). If it’s too warm to keep at room temperature, I recommend storing them in the refrigerator, but cover the container with a thick towel to protect from cold air. Ideally, they should be kept cool. You can also freeze Ohagi for up to 1 month. When you’re ready to eat, defrost overnight in the refrigerator. To bring back the ideal texture, Ohagi should be reheated gently in the microwave to warm or room temperature for you to enjoy.

To Store

Nothing sounds better than a warm bowl of homemade Zenzai or Oshiruko (red bean soup) with toasted mochi! I’ll show you 3 ways to make this popular winter dessert in Japan.

Zenzai (Oshiruko) - Red Bean Soup with Mochi

azuki beans ((7 oz))

sugar ((6 oz; typically sugar

3.5 oz red bean paste (anko)

water ((add more if you desire))

kirimochi

Gather all the ingredients.

★ Making Zenzai with Azuki beans (Makes 4-6) ★

Rinse the azuki beans carefully until water is clear. Discard any damaged beans that are floating. Drain water and transfer the beans to the pressure cooker (I use an Instant Pot).

Add in 4 cups of water. Cover and lock the lid of your pressure cooker. Make sure the steam release handle points at “sealing” and not venting.

Turn on your pressure cooker and select High Pressure for 15 minutes (10 minutes if you prefer to keep the beans slightly firm). If you’re using an Instant Pot, press “Manual” or “Pressure Cooker”, select “high pressure” and adjust the cooking time.

If you are using a stovetop pressure cooker, cook on high heat until high pressure is reached. Then reduce the heat to low to maintain the pressure for 15 minutes. 

When it’s done cooking, the Instant Pot will switch automatically to the “Keep Warm” mode. Let the pressure slowly release by itself for 30 minutes (Natural Release). Before opening the lid, turn the steam release handle to “Venting” and release any leftover pressure. If you’re using the stovetop pressure cooker, remove the pot from the heat and let the pressure release naturally.

Add salt and sugar into the pot.

Press the “Saute” button and select “Low” heat. Let the sugar dissolved completely, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.

After cooking for 5 minutes, the soup will be a bit darker in color, too. Keep warm and start preparing the mochi (please scroll down).

Option 1: Pressure Cooker

Rinse the azuki beans carefully until water is clear. Discard any damaged beans that are floating and drain.

Put the azuki beans and water in a pot.

Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, put an otoshibuta (drop lid) over the azuki beans. Turn down the heat to medium-low and keep it simmering for the next 1 to 1.5 hours. Tip: Otoshibuta will prevent the beans from dancing around too much. You can make it with aluminum foil.

Water will evaporate so you need to keep adding water so the beans are submerged. After 1 hour, pick one bean and mash it with your fingers. If it is mashed easily, it&#039;s done. Otherwise, cook another 15 minutes and check. Add sugar and salt and let the sugar dissolved completely, stirring occasionally. Keep warm and start preparing the mochi (please scroll down).

Option 2: Stovetop Method

In a small saucepan, combine the store-bought red bean paste or homemade red bean paste and water and bring it to a boil. Add a pinch of salt and mix well. Adjust the consistency by adding or evaporating water. Keep warm and start preparing the mochi (see next step).

★ Making Zenzai with Red Bean Paste (Makes 1) ★

Cut the kirimochi into halves or quarters and place them in the toaster oven (or the oven). If you&#039;re using the fresh homemade mochi, add it in the soup to warm up. If it&#039;s frozen, then boil it in a pot till soft.

Toast the mochi until puffed up and nicely brown, about 10-12 minutes.

Serve the red bean soup and mochi in a bowl and enjoy!

★ To Prepare Mochi and Serve ★

This year I decided to also make my most favorite food ever that my grandma made for me, the awesome and incredible Red Bean Paste Zong Zi 豆沙粽子.  My. Favorite. Food. Ever!

Red Bean Paste Zong Zi Rice Dumpling  紅豆沙粽子

glutinous rice

bamboo leaves

straw ties

Soak your bamboo leaves and straw ties over night in water. Once pliable pour out soaking water and add fresh water.  Cut off the hard tips at the base of the bamboo leaf.  Keep soaked in cool water as you work.

Rinse the rice and soak an hour in cool water.  Pour out the water.

Shape your red bean paste into 2.5 inch long and 3/4 inch wide rolls. Cover and place in refrigerator to allow to firm up for 1/2 hour.

Take two bamboo leaves and put them side by side, overlapping.  Fold bottom up to make a pocket.

Holding this pocket together with one hand, use the other hand to scoop 3 tbsp rice into the pocket, spreading it out 3 inch from the base up, leaving a bit more at the bottom.

Place your prepared red bean paste roll onto the rice about 3/4 inch up from the base.  Then spoon over about 3-4 tbsp more of the glutinous rice, barely covering all the the red bean paste and allowing a bit more rice on the top.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRCVs-X1uxQ

Learn how to wrap red bean paste zong zi with bamboo leaves.  It's a skill that I learned from my grandmother who was famous for her zong zi!

How to Wrap Red Bean Zong Zi 包豆沙粽子

A recipe for classic homemade Chinese red bean paste using adzuki beans (Instant Pot).

Homemade Adzuki Red Bean Paste

100 g red azuki beans (soaked overnight)

granulated sugar (or

coconut oil

The night before making the beans, soak the adzuki beans in big pot of water.

The next day, drain the water from the beans.

Add the drained beans into the Instant Pot along with the sugar and water.

Place the lid on and set the valve to SEAL.

Set to BEANS/CHILI function on high pressure for 28-30 minutes.

Let the pressure naturally release.

Use an immersion blender to blend the cooked beans. (Or transfer to a blender to puree).

Transfer the blended beans to a small saucepot.

Cook over medium heat until it thickens (it should be thick enough for a spoon to stand up on its own when it's stuck into the paste).

Stir in the coconut oil and remove from heat.

Transfer to a container if not using right away and let cool.

Store in the fridge for up to 1 week or for longer-term storage, place into the freezer for up to 3 months.

Red bean paste (豆沙) is a common filling used in Asian breads and pastries. Use it in mooncakes, mochi, or as a filling in my pineapple buns! This recipe explains how to make a smooth red bean paste. See note 1 for directions on how to make a chunky red bean paste.You can easily adjust the amount of sugar used in this bean paste. If you want something less sweet, I recommend using 6 tablespoons (or 72 grams) of brown sugar. You can also add more if you like.

Smooth Red Bean Paste

(225 grams) azuki/adzuki beans

(1.4L) water

walnut oil ((see note 2))

(84 grams) dark brown sugar,

kansui (optional (see note 3))

Rinse and drain the beans. Transfer the beans to the bowl of an Instant Pot. Add the water, seal the Instant Pot with the lid, and cook the beans on High Pressure for 22 minutes.

Once the cooking stops, let the beans sit for another 25 minutes so they can soften further. Release any residual pressure by moving the pressure release to “Venting.” Drain the beans.

Cook the Beans (See Note 4 for Stovetop Directions)

Transfer the cooked beans to a food processor to blend until smooth. Because there isn’t enough liquid in the beans, they won’t mix properly in a high-speed blender.

Once you blend the beans, I recommend pressing the puree through a mesh strainer to strain out some of the tougher skins of the azuki beans. Straining isn’t absolutely necessary but highly recommended if you want a smoother paste. You can strain the puree twice if you like.

Press Beans

Heat a large nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Use a nonstick pan or else things can get messy (see note 5). Add the walnut oil and swirl to coat the pan with the oil. Add the pureed beans and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the sugar to the pan and stir to combine with the beans. If you&#39;re using kansui, add it now, too. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue cooking and the paste for another 10 to 12 minutes. Eventually, the paste will thicken so much that you can fold up the paste with a flat spatula. The consistency of the paste will almost be like soft play-doh. Reduce the heat to low.

Take a pea-sized portion of the paste and let it cool for 30 seconds before tasting. Add more sugar, if desired.

Add the coconut oil to the pan. Use a flat spatula to fold the oil into the paste. Turn off the heat.

Transfer the paste to a mixing bowl and let cool for 20 minutes before using. The red bean paste crusts easily, so cover the bowl with a damp towel.

Refrigerate any unused red bean paste for up to a week. You can also freeze the paste in a freezer bag or container and use it within a few months.

Cook Bean Paste

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Top 6 red bean paste recipes from across the web

The most viewed red bean paste recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Sweet Red Bean Paste Recipe (In an ...

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Zenzai (Oshiruko) - Red Bean Soup w...

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The most viewed red bean paste recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine