Shiratama zenzai sweet crimson bean soup with mochi recipe

 

Shiratama Zenzai (Sweet Red Bean Soup with Mochi)

 

Shiratama Zenzai is a classic Japanese dessert providing chewy glutinous rice dumplings in a warm, sweet red bean soup. It’s comforting, gently sweet, and ideal as a cozy deal with.

Ingredients (Serves 2–three)

For the Red Bean Soup (Anko):

1 cup adzuki beans

4 cups water

half–2/three cup sugar (modify to taste)

Pinch of salt

For the Shiratama Mochi Balls:

one hundred g shiratama-ko (glutinous rice flour)

~50 ml water (regulate as wished)

Optional Garnishes:

Kinako (roasted soybean flour)

Matcha powder

Small chestnuts, boiled or candied

Instructions

1. Prepare the Adzuki Beans

Rinse the adzuki beans below bloodless water.

Place them in a pot, cover with water, and convey to a boil for five mins. Drain the water. This step removes bitterness from the beans.

Refill the pot with 4 cups of sparkling water, bring to a boil, then lessen to a simmer. Cook for forty–50 mins until the beans are gentle and soft.

Add sugar and a pinch of salt. Simmer for every other 10 mins until the aggregate thickens barely. Taste and modify sweetness as desired. The pink bean soup need to be candy but no longer overpowering.

Tip: For a smoother soup, you can mash a number of the beans with the back of a spoon or use a potato masher.

2. Make the Shiratama Mochi Balls

 Place the shiratama-ko in a blending bowl. Gradually upload water even as stirring, until a smooth, slightly sticky dough forms. Avoid adding an excessive amount of water; the dough have to keep collectively with out being sticky.

Divide the dough into small portions, about 1–2 cm in diameter, and roll them into spherical balls.

Bring a pot of water to a boil and lightly drop the balls in. They are cooked once they go with the flow to the surface, approximately 2–3 mins.

Remove the mochi balls with a slotted spoon and region them into a bowl of cold water. This helps them hold their chewy texture.

Tip: Mochi balls may be made in advance and saved in water within the refrigerator for some hours.

Three. Assemble the Dessert

Reheat the purple bean soup if it has cooled.

Drain the mochi balls from bloodless water and add them to the soup.

Serve heat in bowls, ensuring every bowl receives some mochi balls.

Optional: Sprinkle kinako or matcha powder on pinnacle, or add chestnuts for additonal texture and flavor.

Tips & Variations

Quick Version: Use keep-sold sweet crimson bean paste (anko) rather than cooking adzuki beans from scratch. Dilute with water and sweeten to taste.

Texture: For a slightly thicker soup, prepare dinner the red beans longer or mash half of them.

Serving: Shiratama Zenzai is traditionally served heat in winter however may be chilled for a fresh summer dessert.

Flavor Additions: Some variations include a small pinch of salt inside the soup to enhance the beauty, or some drops of vanilla extract for aroma.

Summary

Shiratama Zenzai combines the gentle chewiness of shiratama mochi with the sweet, earthy taste of purple beans. It’s simple, comforting, and a traditional Japanese deal with that may be customized with toppings like kinako, matcha, or chestnuts. The dessert is ideal for each heat iciness nights and clean summer season servings.