Red Bean Paste

also called anko · tsubuan · koshian · tsubu-an · koshi-an · azuki paste · adzuki bean paste · hong dou sha · dou sha · sweet red bean paste

Three ways to read this recipe

The table

Red Bean Paste: ingredients down the left, what to do with them across. Tap any cell to cross it off.
2 cups(400 g)dried adzuki beansboil 5 min, drain the first watersimmer 90 minmash chunky, or sieve smoothcook down with the sugar 25 minbeat in the oil, cool 1 hr
6 cups(1.4 L)water for the first boil
8 cups(1.9 L)water for the simmer
1 1/2 cups(300 g)granulated sugar
1/4 tspfine sea salt
2 Tbs(30 mL)neutral oil
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.7 things to get out.

Pans and tools

1boil 5 min, drain the first water

2simmer 90 min

goes in with what step 1 made

4cook down with the sugar 25 min

goes in with what step 3 made

5beat in the oil, cool 1 hr

goes in with what step 4 made

Cooking it

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
at least 3 hrtwo waits that overlap count once
Needs you
none givenof the steps that give a time

One of the 5 steps never says how long it takes, so both numbers are floors. The recipe itself says 3 hr 15 min.

  1. boil 5 min, drain the first water

    5 minwalk awayfrom the start

  2. simmer 90 min

    1 hr 30 minwalk away5 min in

  3. mash chunky, or sieve smooth

    not timed1 hr 35 min in

  4. cook down with the sugar 25 min

    25 minwalk away1 hr 35 min in

  5. beat in the oil, cool 1 hr

    1 hrwalk away2 hr in

Drawn to scale, so a long wait really does take up the room it takes. The shortest stretches keep a sliver so they stay visible; their times are printed beside them.

You'll need saucepan

Goes with

See how it is written
>> title: Red Bean Paste
>> category: Custards & Puddings
>> tags: adzuki, sweet, filling, stovetop, make-ahead, vegan
>> counters: Bakery, Dim Sum Counter
>> aka: anko, tsubuan, koshian, tsubu-an, koshi-an, azuki paste, adzuki bean paste, hong dou sha, dou sha, sweet red bean paste
>> pairs-with: japanese-milk-bread, lotus-seed-paste
>> servings: 16
>> time: 3 hr 15 min
>> step.1: boil 5 min, drain the first water
>> step.2: simmer 90 min
>> step.3: mash chunky, or sieve smooth
>> step.4: cook down with the sugar 25 min
>> step.5: beat in the oil, cool 1 hr

Cover @dried adzuki beans{2%cup}(400 g) with @water for the first boil{6%cup}(1.4 L) in a #saucepan{}, bring to a ~boil{5%min}, then drain. That first water carries the tannic edge and is thrown away.

Return @&(~1)beans{} to the pan with @water for the simmer{8%cup}(1.9 L) and ~simmer{90%min}, topping up so they stay just covered, until a bean crushes to nothing between two fingers.

Mash @&(~1)tender beans{} in what liquid is left: roughly, with a potato masher, for chunky *tsubu-an*, or pushed through a sieve and the skins thrown out for smooth *koshi-an*. This one step is the whole difference between the two.

Cook @&(~1)mashed beans{} down with @granulated sugar{1 1/2%cup}(300 g) and @fine sea salt{1/4%tsp}, stirring so it does not catch, ~simmer{25%min} until a spoon drawn across the pan leaves a furrow that holds.

Beat @neutral oil{2%Tbs}(30 mL) into @&(~1)paste{} for gloss, then ~cool{1%hr}. It firms considerably as it cools, so stop while it is a shade looser than you want it.