Red bean paste () or red bean jam, also called adzuki bean paste or ''anko'' (a Japanese word), is a paste made of

red beans Red bean is a common name for several plants and may refer to: * Adzuki bean (''Vigna angularis''), commonly used in Japanese, Korean, and Chinese cuisine, particularly as red bean paste * Kidney bean, red variety of '' Phaseolus vulgaris'', c ...

(also called "adzuki beans"), used in

East Asian cuisine This is a list of Asian cuisines, by region. A cuisine is a characteristic style of cooking practices and traditions, usually associated with a specific culture or region. Asia, being the largest, most populous and culturally diverse continent, ...

. The paste is prepared by boiling the beans, then mashing or grinding them. At this stage, the paste can be sweetened or left as it is. The color of the paste is usually dark red, which comes from the husk of the beans. In Korean cuisine, the adzuki beans (often the black variety) can also be husked prior to cooking, resulting in a white paste. It is also possible to remove the husk by sieving after cooking, but before sweetening, resulting in a red paste that is smoother and more homogeneous.

Etymology

Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

, a number of names are used to refer to red bean paste; these include , and . Strictly speaking, the term ''an'' can refer to almost any sweet, edible, mashed paste, although without qualifiers red beans are assumed, while refers specifically to the paste made with red beans. Other common forms of ''an'' include , made from

navy A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral zone, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and ...

or other white beans, green beans and , made from

chestnut The chestnuts are the deciduous trees and shrubs in the genus ''Castanea'', in the beech family Fagaceae. They are native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The name also refers to the edible nuts they produce. The unrelat ...

s. Similarly, the

Chinese Chinese can refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation ** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...

term ''dòushā'' (), applies to red bean paste when used without qualifiers, although ''hóngdòushā'' () explicitly means "red bean paste." In

Korean Korean may refer to: People and culture * Koreans, ethnic group originating in the Korean Peninsula * Korean cuisine * Korean culture * Korean language **Korean alphabet, known as Hangul or Chosŏn'gŭl **Korean dialects and the Jeju language ** ...

, ''pat'' (, "'' V. angularis''") contrasts with ''kong'' (, "bean"), rather than being considered a type of it. ''Kong'' ("beans") without qualifiers usually means soybeans. As ''so'' () means "filling", the word ''patso'' () means "''pat'' filling", with unsweetened dark-red paste as its prototype. ''Dan'' (, "sweet") attached to ''patso'' makes ''danpat-so'' (), the sweetened red bean paste, which is often called ''danpat'' (; "sweet ''pat''"). ''Geopi'' (, "hulled, skinned, peeled, shelled, etc.") attached to ''pat'' makes ''

geopipat A variety of adzuki beans (''Vigna angularis'') that are black. In Korean, they are called ''geomeunpat'' (; "black adzuki beans"), ''geomjeongpat'' (; "black adzuki beans"), ''heukdu'' (; "black beans"), or ''heuksodu'' (; "black small beans"). ...

'' (), the dehulled red beans and the white paste made of ''

'' is called ''geopipat-so'' ().

Types

Red bean paste is graded according to its consistency, sweetness, and color.

Chinese

Chinese cuisine Chinese cuisine encompasses the numerous cuisines originating from China, as well as overseas cuisines created by the Chinese diaspora. Because of the Chinese diaspora and historical power of the country, Chinese cuisine has influenced many ot ...

, the most common types are: ; Mashed: Adzuki beans are boiled with sugar and mashed. The paste is smooth with bits of broken beans and bean husk. Depending on the intended texture, the beans can be vigorously or lightly mashed. Some unmashed beans can also be added back into the bean paste for additional texture. This is the most common and popular type of red bean paste eaten in Chinese confections. It can also be eaten on its own or in sweet soups. ; Smooth: Adzuki beans are boiled without sugar, mashed, and diluted into a slurry. The slurry is then strained through a sieve to remove the husk, filtered, and squeezed dry using

cheesecloth Cheesecloth is a loose-woven gauze-like carded cotton cloth used primarily in cheesemaking and cooking. Grades Cheesecloth is available in at least seven different grades, from open to extra-fine weave. Grades are distinguished by the nu ...

. Although the dry paste can be directly sweetened and used, oil, either vegetable oil or

lard Lard is a semi-solid white fat product obtained by rendering the fatty tissue of a pig.Lard
entry in the o ...

, is usually used to cook the dry paste and improve its texture and mouth feel. Smooth bean paste is mainly used as a filling for Chinese pastries.

Japanese

Japanese cuisine Japanese cuisine encompasses the regional and traditional foods of Japan, which have developed through centuries of political, economic, and social changes. The traditional cuisine of Japan (Japanese: ) is based on rice with miso soup and other ...

and

confectionery Confectionery is the art of making confections, which are food items that are rich in sugar and carbohydrates. Exact definitions are difficult. In general, however, confectionery is divided into two broad and somewhat overlapping categories ...

, the most common types are: * ''Tsubuan'' (): Whole red beans are boiled with sugar but otherwise untreated * ''Tsubushian'' (): The beans are mashed after boiling * ''Koshian'' (): The beans are passed through a sieve to remove bean skins. This is the most common type * ''Sarashian'' (): The beans are dried and reconstituted with water * ''Ogura-an ()'': Is a mix of ''koshian'' and ''tsubuan''.

Korean

Korean cuisine Korean cuisine has evolved through centuries of social and political change. Originating from ancient agricultural and nomadic traditions in Korea and southern Manchuria, Korean cuisine reflects a complex interaction of the natural envi ...

and

, the most common types are: * ''Patso'' (), dark-red paste made by boiling and then mashing or grinding red beans. The bean skins may or may not be removed by sifting the paste through a sieve to make the paste smoother. * ''Danpat'' () or ''danpat-so'' (), sweetened red bean paste, made by adding honey or sugar when making ''patso''. The bean skins are often removed to make the paste smoother. * ''Geopipat-so'' (), white paste made by boiling dehulled red beans, and then mashing or grinding them.

Uses

Chinese

Red bean paste is used in many Chinese dishes, such as: *

Red bean soup Hong dou tang () is a popular Chinese dish served in Mainland China, and Taiwan. It is categorized as a ''tang shui'' 糖水 (pinyin: táng shuǐ) (literally translated as sugar water) or sweet soup. It is often served cold during the summer, and ...

(;

pinyin Hanyu Pinyin (), often shortened to just pinyin, is the official romanization system for Standard Mandarin Chinese in China, and to some extent, in Singapore and Malaysia. It is often used to teach Mandarin, normally written in Chinese for ...

: hóng dòu tāng / hóng dòu shā): In some recipes, red bean paste with more water added to form a ''

tong sui ''Tong sui'' (; ), also known as ''tim tong'', is a collective term for any sweet, warm soup or custard served as a dessert at the end of a meal in Cantonese cuisine. ''Tong sui'' are a Cantonese specialty and many varieties are rarely f ...

'', or thick, sweet soup. It is often cooked and eaten with ''tangyuan'' and

lotus seed A lotus seed or lotus nut is the seed of plants in the genus ''Nelumbo'', particularly the species ''Nelumbo nucifera''. The seeds are used in Asian cuisine and traditional medicine. Mostly sold in dried, shelled form, the seeds contain rich con ...

s. This is almost always a dessert. * '' Tangyuan'' (,

: tāng yúan): Glutinous rice balls filled with sweet fillings such as red bean paste and boiled in plain or sweetened water. * Sweet ''

zongzi ''Zongzi'' (; ), ''rouzong'' () or simply ''zong'' (Cantonese Jyutping: ''zung2'') is a traditional Chinese rice dish made of glutinous rice stuffed with different fillings and wrapped in bamboo leaves (generally of the species ''Indocalamus t ...

'' (;

: zòng zi): Glutinous rice and red bean paste wrapped with

bamboo Bamboos are a diverse group of evergreen perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family. The origin of the word "bamboo" is uncertain, bu ...

leaves and steamed or boiled. The glutinous rice used to make zongzi is usually specially prepared and appears yellow. *

Mooncake A mooncake () is a Chinese bakery product traditionally eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋節). The festival is about lunar appreciation and Moon watching, and mooncakes are regarded as a delicacy. Mooncakes are offered between ...

s (; yùe bĭng): A baked pastry consisting of thin dough surrounding a filling. The filling is traditionally made from various ingredients, including mashed lotus seeds, red bean paste, or other fillings. The texture of this filling is quite similar to straight red bean paste. It is most commonly eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival. * ''

Bāozi Baozi (), Pao-tsih or bao, is a type of yeast-leavened filled bun in various Chinese cuisines. There are many variations in fillings (meat or vegetarian) and preparations, though the buns are most often steaming, steamed. They are a variation ...

'' (;

: dòu shā bāo): Steamed leavened bread filled with a variety of savoury or sweet fillings. * '' Jiān dui'' (): Fried pastry made from glutinous rice flour, sometimes filled with red bean paste. *

Red bean cake Red bean cake is a type of Chinese cake with a sweet red bean paste filling. There are many regional varieties. Cantonese-style Cantonese-style red bean cake is made with hardened red bean paste that has been frozen. The cake is sweetened a ...

(): It is a type of Asian cake with a sweet red bean paste filling. It is made primarily with

adzuki beans ''Vigna angularis'', also known as the adzuki bean , azuki bean, aduki bean, red bean, or red mung bean, is an Annual plant, annual vine widely cultivated throughout East Asia for its small (approximately long) bean. The cultivars most familiar ...

. * Red bean pancake File:Mooncake1.jpg, Chinese

mooncake A mooncake () is a Chinese bakery product traditionally eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋節). The festival is about lunar appreciation and Moon watching, and mooncakes are regarded as a delicacy. Mooncakes are offered between ...

File:Zongzi.jpg,

Zongzi ''Zongzi'' (; ), ''rouzong'' () or simply ''zong'' (Cantonese Jyutping: ''zung2'') is a traditional Chinese rice dish made of glutinous rice stuffed with different fillings and wrapped in bamboo leaves (generally of the species ''Indocalamus t ...

Japanese

Red bean paste is used in many Japanese sweets. * ''

Anmitsu Anmitsu (, rarely ) is a Japanese dessert that dates to the Meiji era. It is made of small cubes of agar jelly, a white translucent jelly made from red algae. The agar is dissolved with water (or fruit juice such as apple juice) to make the je ...

'', a dessert consisting of red bean paste, small cubes of agar jelly, and pieces of fruit served with syrup. * ''

Anpan is a Japanese sweet roll most commonly filled with red bean paste. Anpan can also be prepared with other fillings, including white beans (''shiro-an''), green beans (''uguisu-an''), sesame (''goma-an''), and chestnut (''kuri-an''). History An ...

'', a sweet bun filled with red bean paste. * ''

Daifuku , or (literally "great luck"), is a wagashi, (a type of Japanese confection) consisting of a small round mochi (a glutinous rice cake) stuffed with a sweet filling, most commonly '' anko'', (a sweetened red bean paste made from azuki beans). D ...

'', a confection consisting of a small round rice cake stuffed with red bean paste. * ''Anko

dango is a Japanese dumpling made from rice flour mixed with uruchi rice flour and glutinous rice flour. It is different from the method of making mochi, which is made after steaming glutinous rice. ''Dango'' is usually finished round shaped, thre ...

'', a dumpling made from rice flour that is sometimes topped or filled with red bean paste. * ''

Dorayaki is a type of Japanese confection. It consists of two small pancake-like patties made from castella wrapped around a filling of sweet azuki bean paste. The original dorayaki consisted of only one layer. Its current shape was invented in 1914 ...

'', a confection consisting of two small pancake-like patties made from

castella is a kind of ''wagashi'' (a Japanese traditional confectionery) originally developed in Japan based on the "Nanban confectionery" (confectionery imported from abroad to Japan during the Azuchi–Momoyama period). The batter is poured into larg ...

wrapped around a filling of red bean paste. * ''

Imagawayaki is a Japanese dessert often found at Japanese festivals as well as outside Japan, in countries such as Taiwan and South Korea. It is made of batter in a special pan (similar to a waffle iron but without the honeycomb pattern), and filled with ...

'', a paste is in the pancake. Also known as ''Ōban-yaki''. * ''

Manjū is a traditional Japanese confection. Of the many varieties of manjū, most have an outside made from flour, rice powder, kudzu, and buckwheat, and a filling of ''anko'' ( red bean paste), usually made from boiled adzuki beans and sugar. ''M ...

'', a steamed cake filled with red bean paste. * '' Oshiruko'' or ''Zenzai'', adzuki bean soup, commonly served with rice cake. * ''

Sakuramochi is a Japanese confection (''wagashi'') consisting of sweet, pink-colored rice cake (''mochi'') with a red bean paste (''anko'') center and wrapped in a pickled cherry blossom (''sakura'') leaf. Different regions of Japan have different styl ...

'', a Japanese sweet consisting of sweet pink-colored rice cake (mochi) with a red bean paste (anko) center, and wrapped in a pickled

cherry blossom A cherry blossom, also known as Japanese cherry or sakura, is a flower of many trees of genus ''Prunus'' or ''Prunus'' subg. ''Cerasus''. They are common species in East Asia, including China, Korea and especially in Japan. They generally ...

(

sakura A cherry blossom, also known as Japanese cherry or sakura, is a flower of many trees of Prunus, genus ''Prunus'' or Prunus subg. Cerasus, ''Prunus'' subg. ''Cerasus''. They are common species in East Asia, including China, Korea and especia ...

) leaf. * ''

Taiyaki is a Japanese fish-shaped cake, commonly sold as street food. It imitates the shape of , which it is named after. The most common filling is red bean paste that is made from sweetened adzuki beans. Other common fillings may be custard, choc ...

'', a fish-shaped cake stuffed with red bean paste. * ''

Yōkan is a wagashi (Japanese confection) made of red bean paste, agar, and sugar. It is usually sold in a block form, and eaten in slices. There are two main types: ''neri yōkan'' and ''mizu yōkan''. "Mizu" means "water", and indicates that it i ...

'', a thick jellied dessert made of red bean paste, agar, and sugar. File:Daifuku 1.jpg, ''

'' filled with red bean paste File:Anpan 001.jpg, Japanese ''

'' File:Taiyaki.jpg, Japanese ''

'' File:Imagawayaki_001.jpg, ''

Korean

Red bean paste is used in various Korean snack foods and desserts, including: * ''

Baram-tteok ''Gaepi-tteok'' () or ''baram-tteok'' () is a half-moon-shaped ''tteok'' (rice cake) made with non-glutinous rice flour and filled with white adzuki bean paste. Preparation Non-glutinous rice flour is steamed in ''siru'' (steamer) and poun ...

'', a type of ''

tteok ''Tteok'' ( ko, 떡) is a class of Korean rice cakes made with steamed flour made of various grains, including glutinous rice, glutinous or non-glutinous Japonica rice, rice. Steamed flour can also be pounded, shaped, or pan-fried to make ''tt ...

'' filled with white ''geopipat-so''. * ''

Bungeo-ppang ''Bungeo-ppang'' (; "carp bread") is a fish-shaped pastry stuffed with sweetened red bean paste, which originated from the Japanese taiyaki. One of South Korea's most popular winter street foods, the snack is often sold at street stalls, gril ...

'', a fish-shaped pastry filled with sweet ''danpat-so''. * ''

Chalbori-ppang ''Chalbori-ppang'' (; "glutinous barley bread") is a South Korean confection, consisting of two small pancakes made with glutinous barley flour wrapped around a filling of red bean paste. The round, flat, mildly sweet confection has a texture s ...

'', two small and sweet pancakes wrapping around sweet ''danpat-so''. *

Chapssal doughnut Chapssal doughnuts ( ko, 찹쌀도넛) are Korean doughnuts made with glutinous rice flour. The mildly sweet doughnuts are often filled with sweetened red bean paste and coated with the mixture of sugar and cinnamon powder. Glutinous rice flour d ...

, a glutinous rice doughnut filled with sweet ''danpat-so''. * ''

Gyeongdan ''Gyeongdan'' () or Korean rice ball cake is a type of ''tteok'' (rice cake) made of glutinous rice or other glutinous cereal flours. When the cereal other than rice is used, its name is usually specified, making compound nouns such as ''susugye ...

'', a rice ball cake filled with sweet ''danpat-so''. * ''

Hodu-gwaja ''Hodu-gwaja'' (; "walnut cookie"), commonly translated as walnut cookies, walnut cakes, and walnut pastries, is a type of cookie originated from Cheonan, South Korea. It is also known by the name ''hodo-gwaja'' (; which is not the Standard Kor ...

'', a walnut-shaped cookie filled with sweet ''danpat-so''. * ''

Hoppang ''Hoppang'' (; ) is a warm snack that is sold throughout South Korea. It is a convenience food version of ''jjinppang'' (steamed bread) and is typically filled with smooth, sweetened red bean paste. History ''Hoppang'' is a product that make ...

'', a warm fluffy pastry filled with sweet ''danpat-so'' or sweet ''nokdu-so'' (mung bean paste). * ''

Hwangnam-ppang Hwangnam bread (named after its region of origin, Hwangnam-dong), also commonly called Gyeongju bread, is a local specialty of Gyeongju City, South Korea. It is a small pastry with a filling of red bean paste. Gyeongju bread was first baked in 1 ...

'', a pastry with a chrysanthemum imprinted on the top, filled with sweet ''danpat-so''. * ''

Jjinppang ''Jjinppang'' () is a steamed bun, typically filled with red bean paste with bits of broken beans and bean husk. Traditional ''jjinppang'' is made of sourdough fermented using the yeast in ''makgeolli'' (rice wine), but younger varieties such as ...

'', a warm fluffy pastry filled with unsweetened ''patso'', usually with the skins of the red beans. * '' Kkulppang'', a sweet pastry covered with sweet ''danpat-so'' and covered with corn syrup. * ''

Patbingsu ''Bingsu'' (), sometimes written as ''bingsoo'', is a Korean shaved ice dessert with sweet toppings that may include chopped fruit, condensed milk, fruit syrup, and red beans. The most common variety is ''pat-bingsu'' (), the red bean shaved ...

'', a type of shaved ice. * ''

Songpyeon ''Songpyeon'' (, 松䭏) is a traditional Korean food made of rice powder. It is a type of ''tteok'', small rice cakes, traditionally eaten during the Korean autumn harvest festival, Chuseok. It is a popular symbol of traditional Korean culture. ...

'', a type of ''tteok'' filled with various fillings including unsweetened ''patso'', sweetened (''danpat-so''), or white (''geopipat-so''). * '' Ttongppang'', a poo-shaped pastry filled with sweet ''danpat-so''. File:Jjinppang.jpg, ''

'' filled with ''patso'' File:Danpat-doneot 2.jpg, ''Danpat- doneot'' filled with ''danpat-so'' File:Hodugwaja.jpg, ''

'' filled with ''danpat-so'' File:바람떡.JPG, ''

'' filled with ''geopipat-so''

References

{{Japanese food and drink East Asian condiments Food paste Legume dishes Wagashi

Etymology

Types

Chinese

Japanese

Korean

Uses

Chinese

Japanese

Korean

See also

References