Let’s discover the Japanese bean jam, anko

Azuki jam, called anko, is the protagonist of the most famous Japanese desserts, first and foremost mochi and dorayaki. Let's find out how to prepare it!

The name doesn't bode well and I realize it. For us, jam, or rather jam, is prepared with fruit, at most with onions or other vegetables to accompany the cheeses. But as we know, the Japanese are bizarre , and they gave birth to azuki bean jam. This Japanese product, known as anko , is used to fill various typical Japanese pastry desserts known as wagashi , but also in combination with ice cream.

At the first taste it will amaze you with its sweet and full-bodied flavor and if you really want to experiment with new dishes, remember that it also exists in a clear version, prepared with cannellini beans and called shiroan as well as the one with green mung beans called mamean .

How to prepare the azuki jam recipe

1. The preparation of anko is simple, but the Japanese have made it ceremonious . Therefore, to obtain an excellent result, you will have to carefully follow the steps indicated. First, place the beans in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse them under running water. Then soak them in a basin for at least 12 hours.
2. Transfer them to a pan, cover with water and bring to the boil for 10 minutes . Then add a glass of cold water and bring to the boil. Drain them, rinse them and repeat the operations previously described two more times . These steps are used to remove the bitter taste of the beans and the term for it is shibunuki.
3. After repeating the above procedure a total of three times, cover them with two fingers of cold water and cook for 2 hours . Remember to remove the foam that forms during cooking. The beans should become tender and the water should be absorbed.
4. Then add the sugar and continue cooking until you obtain a thick mixture. Tradition has it that by mixing it it is possible to see the bottom of the pot.

The consistency of the anko remains rather grainy so if you want a smoother mixture that is more reminiscent of our traditional spreadable creams you can blend everything with an immersion blender. This step is not that unusual since there are two versions of this jam: tsubuan with whole beans and koshiban with beans reduced to cream.

Try it spread on bread or use it to prepare two typical Japanese recipes, dorayaki and mochi .

Conservation

The bean jam will keep in the refrigerator for a week. It is also possible to preserve it for longer by placing it inside sterilized glass jars and then boiling them to form a vacuum. This way it can be kept for up to 6 months.

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