Zenzai (azuki beans and mochi soup)

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Zenzai（ぜんざい）

Zenzai is a sweet soup made with azuki beans(red beans) and rice cakes(mochi).

In this zenzai recipe, the rice cakes(mochi) are grilled to a fragrant finish and the azuki beans are cooked until soft in a pressure cooker.

In Japan, it has long been believed that the color red wards off evil, and dishes using azuki beans are served during New Year’s and other special occasions.

Zenzai is enjoyed as a snack by people of all ages and genders at sweet shops and in ordinary households, regardless of whether there is a special occasion or not.

Azuki beans and sugar simmered together is called anko, and is classified as tubuan or koshian. The difference between them is that tubuan retains the bean shape, while koshian is made by mashing the beans and then straining them, resulting in a smooth paste.

Another name for zenzai is oshiruko. There are various theories on how to use the name, but I call it oshiruko when it uses koshian.

Mochi is made by grinding steamed glutinous rice and rolling it into balls. Nowadays it is rare to make it at home, and it is usually purchased dried. It is eaten by soaking it in water and heating it in the microwave, grilling it, or stewing it in soup. Here’s a recipe for zenzai, which uses boiled canned azuki beans and shiratama dango.　　　　　　　　👉　Sweet azuki beans and rice cake soup

NUTRITION FACTS

kcal Protein g Fat g Carbs g Salt Equivalent g

INGREDIENTS (6SERVINGS)

• Azuki beans (150g)
  • Water
• Hot water
• ★Water (400g)
  • ★Sugar (100g)
  • ★Salt (2g)
• Mochi (4 piece～)

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

①Soak the azuki beans in water for 5 hours.　

②Boil the washed azuki beans in hot water for 2 minutes.

③Drain the water in which the azuki beans were boiled. This process removes the bitter taste from the azuki beans.

④Add the azuki beans and water to a pressure cooker and pressure cook for 20 minutes. Azuki beans skin is very tough, so the best way to cook it is in a pressure cooker.

Place a weight (a colander that comes with the pressure cooker) on top of the beans to prevent the bean skins from blocking the steam vent or safety valve of the pressure cooker.

⑤Once the pressure is reduced naturally, check that the azuki beans are firm enough to be crushed with your fingers, then add sugar and salt and simmer.

⑥Coat aluminum foil with a thin layer of oil (not included in the recipe) and place the mochi on it.

If you do not apply oil, the mochi will stick together and you will have a hard time

⑦Grill for 3 minutes using a fish grill.

It burns easily, so grill over low-medium heat while keeping an eye on it.

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