What is "Anko"?
Anko is a traditional Japanese sweet paste made primarily from azuki beans.
It is commonly used as a filling for various Japanese confections, known as wagashi.
Typically, anko is made by boiling azuki beans and mixing them with sugar.
This process enhances the natural sweetness and flavor of the beans.
There are two main types of anko - "tsubuan" and "koshian".
Tsubuan contains partially whole azuki beans, which provide a textured and hearty taste.
Koshian is made by simmering azuki beans and then straining them to create a smooth texture.
It’s characterized by a more delicate mouthfeel.
Anko is a versatile ingredient found in many traditional sweets and dishes such as taiyaki (fish-shaped cakes), ohagi (coated rice cakes), and mochi (rice cakes).
It pairs exceptionally well with Japanese tea, making it a popular choice as a teatime snack.
Types of Anko
Anko comes in several varieties.
Let’s take a look at some of the different types of anko.
Tsubuan
Tsubuan is made by cooking azuki beans in a way that keeps their shape, then sweetening them with sugar.
This type of anko has a distinctive texture and a strong bean flavor.
A similar paste made from red kidney beans (kintoki beans) is called kintoki-an.
Koshian
Koshian is made by boiling azuki beans, straining them to remove the skins, and then sweetening the smooth paste with sugar.
It has a very clean and delicate texture.
Shiroan
Shiroan is made primarily from white kidney beans.
It has a light color and a mild sweetness.
Like koshian, shiroan has a smooth texture.
Matcha An
Matcha An is regular anko with matcha (green tea powder).
The addition of matcha gives it a rich flavor with a pleasant bitterness that complements the sweetness.
Types of Anko Sweets and Dishes
Japan offers a wide variety of sweets and dishes featuring anko.
Here are a few of them.
Taiyaki
Taiyaki is a fish-shaped cake filled with anko.
The batter is poured into a fish-shaped iron mold, with the anko put inside before baking.
Taiyaki is considered the tastiest when freshly made and has a crispy exterior and chewy interior.
In addition to tsubuan (chunky anko) and koshian (smooth anko), taiyaki can also be filled with custard cream, chocolate, and other sweet ingredients.
Daifuku
Daifuku is one of Japan's traditional sweets.
It consists of soft mochi made from glutinous rice, filled with anko, and shaped round.
Common fillings include koshian and tsubuan, but other flavors such as strawberry anko and chestnut anko are also popular.
Daifuku is loved by many for its soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Dorayaki
Dorayaki is another traditional Japanese sweet.
It features a sweet anko filling sandwiched between two fluffy, sponge cake-like pancakes.
The name, "dorayaki", is said to come from its resemblance to an ancient Japanese gong (dora).
The batter is made from flour, sugar, eggs, and honey, resulting in a soft and sweet cake.
Koshian is the usual filling, but tsubuan, custard, chocolate, and matcha cream are also common variations.
Obanyaki
Obanyaki is similar to taiyaki and filled with anko.
The batter is poured into a round iron mold, and anko is placed inside before baking.
The batter is made from flour, eggs, and sugar, creating a fluffy texture.
Common fillings include koshian and tsubuan, but custard cream and chocolate are also popular.
The name, "obanyaki", is thought to come from its resemblance to an ancient Japanese coin (oban), but it has various other names depending on the region, such as imagawayaki, kaitenyaki, and oyaki.
Monaka
Monaka is a traditional Japanese sweet made from thin wafers of glutinous rice filled with anko.
The wafers are crispy and provide a delightful contrast to the sweet filling.
Common fillings include koshian, tsubuan, and shiroan (white bean paste).
Monaka comes in various shapes and sizes, such as squares, circles, and fans.
Ohagi
Ohagi is a traditional Japanese sweet.
It is made by steaming and slightly mashing glutinous rice, forming it into a ball, and coating it with anko, kinako (soybean flour), or sesame seeds.
When made in autumn, it is called "ohagi", and when made in spring, "botamochi".
Ohagi often contains koshian or tsubuan.
It is a popular homemade treat in Japan.
Oshiruko
Oshiruko is a traditional Japanese sweet soup made from sweetened and boiled azuki beans with mochi, shiratama (rice flour dumplings), or chestnuts.
This dish is especially popular in the winter as it’s said to warm the body.
In the Kanto region, it is called "oshiruko," while in the Kansai region, "zenzai" when made with tsubuan and "oshiruko" when made with koshian.
