Koshian / silky azuki bean paste

An or anko sweetened azuki bean paste comes either as tsubuan with visible beans, or this silky version called koshian. Koshian highlights the natural sweetness of azuki beans and offers a smooth texture that matches the consistency of small, soft mochi-type sweets. Koshian is made in a similar way as shiroan white bean paste but involves fewer steps toward the end.

Whole recipe (approx. 530 g):
1,297 calories; 40.6 g protein; 4.4 g fat; 277.4 g carbohydrate; 241.8 g net carbs; 2 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 35.6 g fiber


<Ingredients>

(Yield approx. 530 g koshian)
200 g azuki beans
160 g sugar

<Directions>
1.

In a pot, put azuki and 3-4 times as much water as beans, and bring to boil.

Once boiling, reduce heat to medium, cook for a few minutes, and drain.

Put the same amount of water again, and repeat cooking and draining two more times. (At least one more time; the astringent taste of beans disappears in this process).

2.

Put 750-800 cc water, bring to boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour or until beans are soft and crumble easily.

Add water as necessary to keep beans immersed.

Skim often while simmering.

3.

Puree beans.

4.

Strain through sieve or fine-mesh strainer into bowl with water.

Discard azuki skins left in sieve or strainer. 

(Bean + water mixture)

5.

Place a cloth in strainer, and strain bean + water mixture.

Wring hard to get rid of excess water.

6.

Empty bean in a pan, and add sugar.

Mix well with spatula, and cook on medium low heat. 

The bean paste seems dry at the beginning but will soon loosen up.
Stir mixture well until paste becomes shiny.

Remove from heat, divide into small mounds on a plate, and let cool.

<Notes>

• Typically, 80-100% sugar content per azuki beans (by weight) is recommended for taste and preservation purpose.
   

Recipes with koshian

• Uguisumochi / warbler cake with sweet azuki paste

Try koshian in the following recipes

• Yuzu daifuku / soft rice cake with sweetened bean paste and candied yuzu citrus peel

 
(Last updated: February 7, 2017)