Anko – Red Bean Paste
Anko (餡こ, あんこ) is a sweet paste made from azuki beans. It’s a common ingredient in many Japanese desserts such as mochi or dorayaki, and is a classic wagashi flavor. It comes in three varieties depending on the smoothness of the paste you desire:
– koshi-an (漉し餡, こしあん, strained bean paste) – a smooth paste made only from the inside parts of the bean.
– tsubu-an (粒餡, つぶあん, whole bean paste) – a hearty paste where the beans are left whole.
– tsubushi-an (潰し餡, つぶしあん, crushed bean paste) – a hearty paste where the beans are partially mashed.
