Taiyaki, literally, “grilled sea bream”, is a wheat batter-based confection, much like pancakes and waffles, filled with bean jam (anko) and grilled in a fish-shaped iron. The result is a slightly crispy sea bream-shaped goodie perfect for on-the-go munching.

If you plan on making taiyaki, you’ll need a taiyaki-ki (taiyaki mold). But if you’re simply after the flavor of taiyaki, you can also make silver dollar size cakes with the batter and fill them with anko. This confection is called dorayaki (literally, “grilled gong”, in allusion to their round shape).

I wanted a more crisp bread for my taiyaki and have tweaked a krumkake recipe I found online. This recipe yields a firm, light crust that’s not too sweet.

Taiyaki

• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 1/2 Tbs. cornstarch
• 3 Tbs. water
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 Tbs. honey (optional)
• 1 1/2 cups anko, room temperature

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and cornstarch. Set aside.

Beat together the eggs, honey, if using, and sugar till frothy and to it add the flour mixture and water. Whip till smooth.

Preheat a taiyaki-ki and brush it lightly with oil. Pour in a small amount of batter to the preheated pan, add a tablespoon of anko and more batter as necessary to fill in the details. Close and latch the pan.

Turn the heat to medium low and cook about 30 seconds then turn the pan over. Heat evenly for a minute and turn again. Repeat. The taiyaki are done when you can easily open the iron and the taiyaki are a golden brown, about 4 minutes. Serve immediately.

Makes 12 Taiyaki

Difficulty: Easy | Time: 30 minutes | Ingredient Availability: Easy

The Japanese use fillings other than anko for taiyaki. Chocolate, custard and even savory fillings are also popular additives. Use whatever you like; make it your okonomi-taiyaki!

You can make dorayaki with this recipe and add more honey to up the flavor and make it more moist. If you want, cut shapes from the dorayaki with a cookie cutter while the cakes are still warm. You can then sandwich anko between them.

There’s an incredible variety of sweet dessert-style dango, which makes the amount of savory varieties pale in comparison. Sweet dango can be filled, topped or crafted with all manner of traditional Japanese dessert (wagashi) foodstuffs. A few of these traditional ingredients include anko (also known as an), goma (black sesame) and kinako (roasted soybean flour).

However, dango aren’t limited to just Japanese ingredients. You can get creative like I did and create your own toppings for dango; it’s your wagashi- make whatever you want with it!

If you’ve ever considered making your own dango, either with traditional or personal ingredients, this is your lucky day! Today we’ll explore the possibilities with dango and look at the many varieties of the dumplings. Get your steamers ready guys, there’s more to dango than you think!

First, let’s break down the different ways of making dango, including cooking methods, ingredients, and end with varieties.

Cooking

Technically, all dango are cooked in some manner. There are many ways to prepare and cook dango, varying in degrees of simplicity and difficulty.

Boiling
The easiest way to make dango is:

• Mix together mochiko and water
• Make mochiko dough into balls
• Drop balls in boiling water, soup or other liquid
• Cook for about fifteen minutes

Steaming
The next step up from boiling would be:

• Form the mochiko dough into balls
• Steam the dango
• Skewer the balls (optional)
• Roast the dango (optional)

Twice Cooked
Higher up on the dango difficulty scale is what I call twice-cooked dango. To make this dango:

• Reduce dango batter from a viscous liquid to a solid dough
• Form dough into balls
• Thread balls on skewers and steam

Shiro An Method
This is a complex method of making dango, but will yield unique dumplings with an interesting flavor and texture:

• Mix mochiko with shiro koshian
• Steam mixture and work sugar into mix
• Add additional ingredients
• Form into balls and skewer

Flours

Mochiko, glutinous rice flour, is what gives dango their super chewy, gooey texture. Shiratamako, another glutinous rice flour, is also used to make dango. A dango recipe made entirely from mochiko or shiratamako will result in a very soft dango.

Shiratamako is lumpy, and must be dissolved in water or ground before using in a recipe. I’ve heard mochiko can be used interchangeably with shiratamako with little to no adverse results. I personally have used mochiko in place of shiratamako and haven’t noticed the difference. Mochiko is also waaaay cheaper than shiratamako, especially if it’s bought under the name “sweet rice flour”.

Joshinko, non-glutinous rice flour, can be added in varying amounts to create a firmer dango. I recommend a ratio of no more than 1:1 of mochiko to joshinko for dango which is firm but still has some gooey mouth feel. Anything above that results in a denser, less chewy, harder dango.

Liquids

Water is normally used as in making dango, and boiling water at that. However, nothing’s keeping you from substituting other liquids or semi-liquids (anko, mashed fruit, pumpkin filling, etc.) for a portion or all of the water. Fruit or vegetable juice, rose water, milk, tea, or coffee can all be added to dango to enhance the flavor and change the texture. Also, extracts and concentrated flavorings can be added to alter the flavor.

The more liquid used in dango, the softer and gooier it will be. Less water will create a firmer dango, but will also result in a drier dango. Keep in mind you want the liquids hot, unless you plan on cooking the dango ingredients together anyway. Boiling the liquids will dissolve sugars and help bind the mochiko to the other ingredients, which in turn results in smoother, less gritty dango.

Additives

Certain additives, such as powders, non-rice flours, beans, nuts and seeds can be added to the dough, but it’s important to keep in mind how they’ll effect the texture of the finished dango. Small amounts of powdered spices, espresso powder, cocoa, matcha and powdered milk can be added to the rice flour(s) or dissolved in the water/ juice to create flavored dough. Experimentation with amounts is important in finding a recipe that works with your preferred texture and flavorings.

Toppings

After the dango are steamed and/or toasted, it’s your choice what you top them with, if at all. I personally am a huge fan of anko and goma an (black sesame seed paste) on my plain toasted dango. Drowning freshly browned dango in a sea of beans and sesame seeds is more yummy than it sounds. It’s up to you, though, to choose what to cover your dango with.

Some traditional ideas are:

• Tsubu An: Chunky bean paste
• Koshi An: Smooth bean paste
• Shiro An: White bean paste
• Goma An: Black sesame paste
• Kurumi: Walnut powder
• Kuri: Chestnut powder or paste
• Kinako: Roasted soy bean flour
• Mitarashi: Sauce similar to teriyaki
• Matcha An: Green tea paste
• Zunda: Dango topped with slightly sweetened green soybean paste
• Nori: Savory dango wrapped in seaweed

Dango Varities

Dango are named after their toppings, their added ingredients to the dough and their fillings. The above are a sampling of dango named after toppings (goma dango, an dango) but there are also dango named after what’s in the dough and the finished dango or how they’re cooked:

• Matcha Dango: Green tea powder flavored dango
• Kibi dango: Dango made with millet starch
• Yomogi/ Kusa Dango: Mugwort flavored dumplings (kusa dango were originally flavored with cudweed)
• Gomasuri Dango: Lil’ dumplings filled with black sesame paste
• Zunda dango: Dango filled with green soybean paste
• Sasa Dango: Dumplings filled with anko and steamed in bamboo leaves
• Kushi Dango: Skewered dumplings
• Sanshoku Dango (Three Color Dumplings: Sanshoku (three colors): Dumplings made with three colors. Contrary to popular belief, sanshoku dango does not refer to a specific variety. Any dango with three colors is sanshoku dango, including hanami and botchan dango.

Dango are also named for festivals and even fictional characters!

• Hanami Dango (Flower Viewing Dumplings): Three dango on a skewer. Colors are pink (food coloring), white

(plain) and green (matcha, yomogi or food coloring). Hanami dango are eaten during cherry blossom season.

• Tsukimi Dango (Moon Viewing Dumplings): Non-skewered filled or plain dumplings. Usually presented as a pyramid shaped pile of dumplings, tsukimi dango are eaten during the moon viewing festival. I’ve seen ornate tsukimi dango shaped like usagi (bunnies!) as a homage to the mochi pounding rabbit in the moon.
• Ikinari Dango (All of a Sudden Dango): Don’t know why this is called dango, but this daifuku-looking dumpling is made with satsumaimo topped with anko, wrapped with mochiko dough and then cooked. It’s a specialty from Kumamoto where it gets its name from being so easy to make. If visitors pop by, all of a sudden, ikinari dango is so simple, it can be whipped up in minutes.
• Botchan Dango (Named after a fictional character): Three dango on a skewer made from red beans, matcha and egg yolk.

Hopefully, I’ve inspired you to try your hand at making dango. If I have, keep reading for recipes on basic dango and complete dango recipes!

On Valentine’s Day in Japan, the women give all the men in their lives chocolate (choco- チョコ). If the recipient is a co-worker, or someone the woman sees casually, she gives him giri choco (obligation chocolate). Giri choco is cheap and can be bought at stores everywhere.

The man a woman has special feelings for receives honmei choco (prospective winner chocolate). Honmei choco is a superior variety of chocolate and can either be bought or handmade. Men who get handmade food stuffs from a woman know where they stand in her affections: at the top!

Female friends also get chocolate in the way of tomo choco (friend chocolate), but the main recipients of Valentine’s Day goodies are the men. However, the men don’t return the favor of giving chocolate or gifts to their lady friends on this day; they do that on White Day (March 14th).

This way of celebrating Valentine’s Day won’t fly here in America, but I’ve noticed many anime fans find this practice intriguing. Some want to make honmei choco at home to give to their sweeties or they want to give giri choco to their classmates and coworkers. I say make a compromise and celebrate the day in a unique way with a Japanese flair.

If you’d like to give your special someone, male or female, something inspired by the Japanese way of celebrating Valentine’s Day, make them a Valentine’s Day bento. Or craft a handmade Valentine with と書いたり (From Your Valentine) or と書いたりもする。(Be My Valentine) written on it. For some Japanese inspired sweets make them a selection of goodies, either yogashi, wagashi or both, and put them in a simple, elegant heart-shaped box.

There’s no need to leave the ladies out of Valentine’s Day fellas, even if you want to celebrate it Japanese-style. Make her something nice in the way of honmei choco, and you’ll be the winner!

Need some ideas for some honmei goodies? Here’s a recipe sure to please the mochi fan in your life!

Chocolate-Covered Cherry Daifuku

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups mochiko
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 Tbl. plus 1 tsp corn syrup
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• red food coloring
• potato, corn or wheat starch for dusting
• 10 maraschino cherries, rinsed and patted dry
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 squares unsweetened chocolate, minced

Directions

1. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat chocolate chips and unsweetened chocolate on high in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir the mixture and return to microwave for an additional 30 seconds. Mix again. Repeat the steps until the chocolate is melted.
2. Dip the cherries in the melted chocolate and coat them well. Drop them onto a plate lined with wax paper and put them in the freezer for 20 minutes.
3. After the cherries have been in the freezer for 15 minutes, make the mochi by whisking together the mochiko, sugar, water, 1 Tbl. corn syrup and extract. Remove 1/2 cup of the mochiko mixture and tint it a desired shade of red or pink with the food coloring. Set aside.
4. Dust a clean work surface liberally with starch. Keep a bowl filled with starch handy for dusting your hands and any utensils used. Place the tsp. of corn syrup in a small bowl and keep it nearby.
5. In a medium saucepan, cook the uncolored mochiko mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan. Spoon some of the cooked mochi onto the dusted work surface. With either a well dusted rolling pin or with well dusted hands, carefully roll or pat the hot mochi to 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness, depending on your preference. Cut out circles two and half times as big as the chocolate cherries.
6. Place a well chilled chocolate cherry in the center of each of the mochi circles. Quickly wrap the mochi circle around the cherry, pinching the bottom to seal it. If you’ve having problems smoothing or sealing the bottom, use a tiny bit of warm water to seal up the mochi. Place the finished mochi on plate dusted with starch. If the mochi cools too much when you’re working with it, heat it in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.
7. For the hearts, repeat Step 5 with the pink mochi, but cut out hearts instead of circles.
8. To decorate the mochi, you can:

• Attach the hearts to the finished mochi with a dab of corn syrup.
• Coat the finished mochi in the leftover chocolate.
• Wrap some cherries in pink mochi and make white hearts for contrast.
• Drizzle some chocolate over the finished mochi.
• Sprinkle colored sugar onto the warm mochi then form the balls.

Makes 10 Bon Bon-sized Daifuku

It’s not much of a secret that I love Japanese sweets, aka wagashi. In my free time, I go on the .jp and search out new wagashi to research and try. I spend hours pouring over websites and trying my hand at translating katakana.

The only thing that really gets me through the massive amounts of translating and finagling is the Japanese’s love of pictures. Thanks to many illustrative photos and videos, I’ve been able to cobble together the rudimentary beginnings of a wagashi cookbook. One of the first recipes I tried off the .jp was kimishigure.

Kimishigure is made from egg yolks (kimi), bean paste (shiro koshi an and aka koshi an) rice flour (joshinko), water (mizu) and sugar (johakuto). Simple, right? This particular wagashi is a bit tricky since it must crack open when it steams, otherwise, it just isn’t kimishigure.

Adding too much water or too much sugar will hamper the cracks from developing, resulting in uncracked kimishigure. I learned this fact the hard way. My first try of kimishigure ended not so well, as it was not cracked and was overcooked. However, the wagashi were still tasty and pretty, just not as tasty and pretty as they could have been.

Here’s a simple recipe for this elegant and tasty wagashi I found and tailored:

Kimishigure

• 1 2/3 cups shiro koshi an
• 1 cup plus 2 1/2 Tbls. aka koshi an
• 1/4 cup joshinko (non-glutinous rice flour)
• 2 egg yolks, beaten and divided into 3/4 and 1/4 portions
• food coloring, optional
• sarashian (anko powder), optional

1. Wrap the shiro koshi an in plastic wrap and microwave on high for four minutes. Or, heat over medium heat until piping hot and bubbly, making sure not to over dry or burn the an.

2. In the hot shiro an, mix in 3/4 of the egg yolks and blend well. Scoop hot shiro an and yolk mix onto a wax paper-lined cookie sheet and spread it around. Cover with a clean, damp cotton cloth to prevent drying and let cool 20 minutes.

3. After the shiro an is cooled, add the joshinko and remaining yolk. Mix well. Add the food coloring at this time if you’re using it, keeping in mind natural, light colors work best with wagashi. Traditionally, the kimishigure is not colored, but is simply rolled around in the sarashian for added effect. But go nuts. Own that kimishigure!

4. Evenly divide the anko and roll it into 15 balls. Set aside. Evenly divide the kimishigure dough and roll it into 15 balls.

5. In a clean palm, flatten the kimishigure dough into an even round. Place a ball of anko in the round and carefully wrap the anko with the round. Make sure the dough is of an even thickness around the anko center to ensure proper cracking. I shaped mine into ovals and rounds, but you can choose a more traditional route and simply make round balls.

6. Coat each ball with sarashian, if using, patting the powder lightly but firmly into the dough.

7. Line a steamer tray with a damp cotton cloth and place the kimishigure on the cloth approximately 3/4″ apart. Steam them on high for 7-10 minutes or till they crack. Do not steam them longer than 12 minutes as they’ll get tough.

Makes 15

The flavor for kimishigure is reminiscent of fortune cookies and rice pudding and is absolutely delish. The egg yolks are the only added fat in this dessert and you can control the amount of sugar of the kimishigure either in the anko (if you make your own) or in the dough, making kimishigure a healthy dessert alternative.

You can be very creative when making kimishigure or you can take the traditional route and make classic kimishigure without all the frills. If you’re daunted by the thought of “beans as dessert”, use a piece of milk or dark chocolate in the middle instead of anko and coat the outside with cocoa for a kimishigure truffle. Believe it or not, however, the flavor of the beans from the shiro an is undetectable in kimishigure and most wagashi. I’ve found lima beans make the best shiro an for kimishigure since they taste more buttery than beany.

Give this traditional wagashi a whirl in your kitchen and let me know how yours turn out!

Difficulty:Moderate | Time:50 minutes | Ingredient Availability: Moderate

Anko is a building block in Japanese desserts, wagashi. Without anko, there wouldn’t be the profusion and variety of wagashi which exist today. Anko is made from red azuki beans which have been carefully boiled down to a chunky jam and is then sweetened. This whole bean variety of anko is known as tsubu or tsubushi-an.

Tsubu-an is used as filling in wagashi, a dessert topping, and as a sweet soup, zenzai. White beans are also used in creating anko. Shiro an is white anko, and is usually made from either lima or navy beans.

Anko also comes in different textures, one of which is koshi-an. Koshi an is a refined, smooth bean paste. Koshi-an is made from either azuki or white beans, which have been pulped and then strained to a satiny texture. Sugar syrup is then added to sweeten the paste. White beans are most commonly turned into koshi an rather than into tsubu an.

To create delicate, beautiful wagashi known as nerikiri, a mochi mixture, gyuhi, is added to shiro koshi-an. The end result is a paste similar to marzipan and can be tinted and molded into just about any shape.

Today’s edition is all about anko and we’ll be making a batch of each anko variety: Tsubushi-an and Shiro Koshi-an. Let’s get started transforming these shriveled beans into something worthy of an emperor!

Part 1 of 3:

Part 2 of 3:

Part 3 of 3:

Shiro Koshi-an

Note: Azuki or green mung beans may also be used in koshi-an.

Tsubu-an

Note: White beans may also be used in tsubu-an.

Unlike many popular Western foods, traditional Japanese foods are low in fat, high in vegetable content, and sans dairy. This coupled with portion control means that eating traditional Japanese foods the way they were originally prepared and eaten, can help you be fit and healthy.

But forget all that health mumbo-jumbo, Japanese food is delicious! I’ve developed an addiction to and obsession with wagashi which I indulge about once a week. Sushi and tempura are my fave eat-out Japanese foods and if I had the cash, I’d be eating sushi once a week too. At home I love to prepare all manner of noodle dishes and sweets. If I had to peg down one of my favorite foods, I’d say wagashi and that’s as concise as I could get.

Is there some snack, dessert, or meal that makes you drool? Are you addicted to a certain Japanese food and get shifty-eyed and twitchy when you haven’t had your fix in a while? What’s your favorite Japanese food?

If you’re a foodie, like me, and you’re interested in Japanese cuisine as either a hobby or a way of life, you’ve probably already done your homework on the ingredients and appliances used in traditional Japanese cooking. And if you don’t have access to authentic Japanese ingredients, you’ve probably learned which Western substitutes work best with a traditional recipe.

If you’re still gun-shy in regards to Japanese food; no worries, it’ll all become second nature in time. For now, test how much you think, or don’t think, you know with The Anime Blog’s Quiz for fan’s of Japanese cuisine!

(Answers and foodie lore are given below the quiz. The quiz is off site but come back to rate your score and see how you did!!! No peeking until you’re done!)

Rate your score!

• 100-90%= Sugoi!! You can cook with me any day itamae dono!
• 89-80%= Yatta! Feels good to know your goma from your gari, ne?
• 79-60%= Genki. If you can tell the difference between anko and kinako, that’s none too shabby.
• 59-40%= Ma-ma. Uh-oh, maybe you should cook Japanese more often.
• Below 40%= Baka! Before you can become a Japanese foodie master, you must learn that a world of food exists outside Pocky and Pretz.

1.) True. Washoku, as denoted by the prefix wa-, is used in reference to more traditional ways of Japanese cooking, such as cooking oden and sukiyaki.

2.) False. Although goma is Japanese for sesame, the mame (bean) in front of it turns the phrase into a popularized term for “seal” which was coined for cutesy seal characters created by San-X. Mamegoma Honobono Nikki is a game for the Nintendo DS featuring adorable baby seals. Kawaii!

3.) True. Shiro miso (white miso) is less salty, more mild, and sweeter than red or yellow miso. It’s used as a filling in some wagashi including hanabiramochi.

4.) False. Shabu shabu is a one-pot meat entree made at the table in a pot of boiling broth. Very thinly sliced meat is dunked in the broth and stirred back and forth with chopsticks till it’s barely colored. This back and forth creates a “swish swish” sound which translates into “shabu shabu”.

5.) True. Not much land for grazing in Japan and why bother when there’s plenty of fish to harvest which don’t need to be fed or cared for? During Japan’s early years, it was a faux pas to eat the meat of four-legged animals, due in part to Buddhism. Meat eating only became en vogue during the Meiji Restoration.

6.) False. While Osaka is famous for many tasty goodies (takoyaki and okonomiyaki to name a couple) , kuro sato, aka, black sugar isn’t on the list. Okinawa has the honor of being known for black sugar. Many kurosato ame (black sugar candies) producers make sure Okinawa is prominently displayed on the candy’s packaging as a key selling point. What makes Okinawan black sugar so famous, I wonder?

7.) True. Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki is made in layers: ingredients, batter, ingredients, batter, etc. All the ingredients for the okonokiyaki are added to the batter for Kansai-style. Most people will argue over how to correctly make okonomiyaki, just like many people argue over to correctly make pizza (St. Louis style “pizza”, is NOT pizza, FYI).

8.) False. While both gari and beni shoga are types of pickled ginger, they differ in taste and creation. Gari is sweet and tart and is made with a sweetened vinegar solution. Beni shoga is salty and sour and is made with ume-su (a vinegar made from plums).

9.) True. Castella cakes, cheesecake (chizukeki) and doughnuts (do-natsu), all were originally created overseas and have been given a new twist as lighter, less sweet Japanese variations, aka yogashi.

10.) False. Close but no wagashi. While most Japanese sweets are made with mochi flour (-ko), ohagi and botamochi are made using mochi goma (whole glutinous rice).

11.) False. Kabocha is a member of the Cucurbitaceae family, which also includes in its ranks, pumpkins and gourds. Kabocha is also known to the world as “Japanese pumpkin”, not Japanese potato.

12.) True. In the Yubari region, melons, similar to honeydew and cantaloupe, are precisely cultivated and can sell for over $100, depending on their quality. Watermelons also fetch upwards to $25, for an average melon. Unlike Americans who groan at the thought of receiving a fruit gift basket, Japanese consider high quality fruit to be an excellent gift idea. $100 for a melon, or $100 for some Godiva? I guess it depends on where you’re from…

13.) True. Tsubushi-an is a chunky, whole bean variety of anko (sweetened adzuki bean paste) and koshi-an is a smooth, refined, sweetened bean paste. Both are used in making wagashi.

14.) False. A suribachi is one part of the Japanese mortar and pestle. The mortar (suribachi) is made from ceramic and has fine ridges on the inside. The pestle, called a surikogi, is made from wood. Suribachi and surikogi are used to grind sesame seeds and to make pastes. Making dashi no moto (seaweed and bonito broth) does not require the use of a mortar and pestle.

15.) False. Thank the Portuguese for tempura. The Portuguese originally brought over fried foods to Japan in the 1600’s. The Japanese term “tempura” is derived from Quator Tempora, “the four times”, which were days the Portuguese missionaries abstained from eating meat. During these fasting days, the Portuguese would eat fried seafood and vegetables instead of other meats. The Japanese adopted this practice of frying foods, and tempura became popular in the 1700’s as a snack food.

16.) True. Daifuku- Japanese sweet cakes made from pounded glutinous rice and traditionally filled with sweet bean paste- are made with all manner of fillings these days. Melon daifuku is a combination of all things good: Gooey rice and sweet melon.

17.) False. Matcha is actually quite pricey compared to other teas. It’s a powdered green tea traditionally used in the chanoyu, (Japanese tea ceremony) but is also used to color and flavor mochi, noodles and ice cream.

18.) True. Marron is French for chestnut and the Japanese have adopted the word into their food term repertoire. Kuri, is the Japanese word for chestnut, however.

19.) True. Kanten, aka, agar agar, is used in a variety of sweets but is also is part of a modern diet fad in Japan. Since kanten has zero calories and is high in fiber, many Japanese eat it as a weight loss food. People who’ve been on the kanten diet claim it’s helped them lose pesky pounds they weren’t able to prior to the diet.

20.) False. Satsumaimo, sweet potatoes, are in season during the fall months, not the summer months.

21.) False. Although yatsuhashi is a type of miyagegashi (souvenir sweet), it’s place of origin is Kyoto, not Nagano. Yatsuhashi is a wagashi made either baked and formed into shingles, or is uncooked and formed into triangles and filled with bean paste. Both variations of yatsuhashi are flavored with cinnamon, or sometimes ginger.

22.) True. Soba noodles must have at least 30% of their bulk composed of buckwheat flour to be considered soba.

23.) True. Abura age, fried tofu pouches, are much coveted by mischievous kitsune (fox spirits).

24.) False. Hijiki, wakame and kombu are all seaweed used in Japanese cooking. Wakame is most commonly used in miso soup and kombu is integral to dashi, which in turn is integral to many Japanese meals.

25.) True. Mushi means “steam”. Sake mushi and chawan mushi are both examples of steamed dishes.

26.) False. Shoyu is “soy sauce” and the Japanese use soy sauce in just about everything. Japanese use soy sauce in a similar manner Westerners use salt: to cook and to season foods with.

27.) True. Much like Western healthy eating concepts which state to eat multiple colors of food to stay fit, the Japanese believe that eating much in the same manner at every meal will ensure good health. “Black” foods also encompass foods which are brown or purple.

28.) True. Udon are popular noodles used in a variety of dishes. They’re fairly hefty and very filling.

29.) False. Kinako is roasted whole soy bean flour. It has a nutty flavor similar to peanut powder but is sweeter than peanut powder. Kinako is a popular wagashi ingredient.

30.) False. The Japanese practice “hara hachi bu“: eating until you are 80% full, not 60%.

The name “umebachi”, is in reference to its appearance. Umebachi is a variety of kamon. Kamon, or mon, are Japanese heraldic symbols used as family crests and as decorations for kimono. The umebachi kamon can be seen at the left and is representative of a plum blossom within a circle. When turned on end, the umebachi dagashi does look very much like the kamon. This particular dagashi brand, Maruisuzuki, likes to name and manufacture their treats in the likeness of flowers, an idea which is novel and quite inventive in execution.

Each of these treats are individually wrapped. After tearing open the wrapper I understand why; the white exterior is a candy coating and if the umebachi weren’t wrapped individually, they’d become tacky, sticky, and no longer individual. Umebachi don’t have much aroma, but there’s a hint of molasses. Hmmm, smells like molasses on the inside yet has a candy coating on the outside; interesting. I have no idea what’s in store as I take a bite.

After two crunchy, sugar coated bites, I don’t yet have a sense of what this dagashi is, only that it’s sugary and tasty. After three bites, the realization dawns on me: This is sugar coated karinto! Sweet jeezus, have you been eavesdropping on my sugary fantasies? On the outside is a generous layer of hard candy coating. The inside is made up of bits of karinto- a molasses and brown sugar wagashi made by deep frying dough and rolling it around in molten brown sugar- mixed with crisp, molasses kurosato, Japanese black sugar. Ohhhh, ssooooo freaking gooooddd! I can see the mountains of Sugar Paradise! Wait, wait, that’s a candy coma coming on, never mind.

The white outer layer is reminiscent of Jordan Almonds. It’s not too hard, and has good flavor for a candy shell. The sugar is sticking to my teeth, but if this is wrong, I don’t want to be right. I can hear the fillings in my mouth scream in protest at the gooey abuse they’re enduring. Suck it in guys, here comes one more! Bwahahahahahahahahahha! It’s a good thing these are individually wrapped or the entire bag’d be gone by now. This is like a Japanese chik-o stick, in texture if not in flavor, with its crispy outside, and sugar filling which sticks to the teeth.

This is much better than the Pansy candy this dagashi company also produces and I’m upset that I’ll need to wait nine months before I can re-purchase this treat. I bought Umebachi along with Pansy, at the LA Mitsuwa during Anime Expo this year and know I’ll have to wait for the next AX for my hookup.

Umebachi is one of the most creative, delicious and addictive Japanese snacks I’ve reviewed to date. I highly urge any and all who are able to purchase this dagashi to do so immediately, but don’t tell your dentist who tipped you off to Umebachi!

Texture: Flavor: Appearance: Packaging:

Umebachi gets an overall .

However, kinako is absolutely delish and I add it to whatever I can- yogurt, oatmeal, ice cream, toast- whenever I can. Not only does kinako taste great, it’s high in protein and B vitamins and may be easier to digest for some people who have difficulty with peanuts (that’d be me).

Kinako has a long history as a confectionery ingredient. The Japanese have been using it to make wagashi for at least 300 years, and it’s hard to imagine Japanese sweets without kinako.

Kinako has a peanut-like flavor. Yet, it can be distinguished from peanut powder by its lack of bitterness- which peanuts sometimes have- and by its subtle flavor and sweetness- which is a notch above peanuts. Why wouldn’t I pick up a candy that has this tasty additive as the main ingredient?

The sanontou in the name of this sweet refers to Japanese brown sugar and the kinako, is -duh- kinako, while the nejiru refers to the treat’s appearance, i.e. twists. Thus: Brown sugar kinako twists, yum!

The packaging is meh, but the smiley logo on the bag seems to be privy to some knowledge that I, as of yet, am not. I’ll know your secrets yet, smiling product mascot!

These wagashi look tempting as a solid manifestation of kianko delight. However, to the uninitiated, this wagashi may not be too alluring, since it does resemble dried up turds. But, if you want to enjoy Japanese treats, I urge you to overcome any discouraging visuals you may encounter.

The first bite has me hooked: It’s my dream come true of a hearty rendition of this nutty powder. Each piece is a chewy bit of kinako heaven; not too chewy, though, and not too soft, just enough to make your mouth work to earn this glorious treat.

Even though sugar and corn syrup are the only other ingredients backing up the star of this show- kinako- there’s a perfect balance between sweet and nutty. The texture and taste of this wagashi are in harmony, making Sanontou Kinakonejiri a must try for any kinako fan or for anyone who likes subtle nutty flavors.

Texture: Flavor: Appearance: Packaging:

Sanontou Kinakonejiru gets an overall .

Wait, wait, I know, I’ll make amanatto yeahhhhh, that’s the ticket. Only problem is, there are zero recipes online. None. Zip. Zero. Checked high, checked low, checked the .jp, for what it’s worth. Well, that sucked.

“All is not lost yet!”, I thought to myself. I will attempt to create a recipe for amanatto. Yes, I’ll fa-diddle in the kitchen so that I may appease my hankering for candied beans!!!

So I tinkered: I used a bit ‘o this, a touch of that, a ton of sugar, a lot of time. I finally had something after all the hard work. Next, I had to taste test it. I had to make sure that this was an authentic Japanese wagashi. I loved it, David, loved it, my friends loved it, but would the Japanese?

I took this to the Japanese Festival and offered it the Japanese members of the bon odori group after our first performance. They clucked over it and tasted it. Then they asked me where I had bought the amanatto. Moment of truth…I made it. Nani? Sugoi! Sugoi! Then I was forced right then and there to hand over the recipe.

Now, I’m going to share this rendition of a classic wagashi with you. I assure you, amanatto is a must try wagashi that even non-fans of Japanese food will love. Make this tasty treat for your Japanese friends and watch as they love you forever for making fresh, made from scratch amanatto! Here’s the recipe for how to make amanatto. It’s Nihonjin approved!

These are ingredients for amanatto okonomi, or assorted amanatto. You can use a single bean variety (amanatto) or all. You can try this recipe with as many different beans as you like. These are the beans I have personally used in my own okonomi.

Okonomi Amanatto

Recipe Update 4-3-08: Coating the finished amanatto in white sugar is optional only. It gives the finished beans a touch of class, but will also up the sweetness. The sugar coating step may be omitted, but the amanatto must still be dried some before storing. An oven set on 170 degrees for five minutes should dry out a cookie sheet filled evenly with amanatto. Follow the tips for avoiding troubles with humidity

• 1 cup sorted dried lima beans, *soaked overnight in plenty of water
• 1/2 cup sorted dried, azuki beans or 1/2 cup dried red beans, soaked overnight in plenty of water
• 1/2 cup sorted dried navy beans, soaked overnight in plenty of water
• 1/2 cup sorted dried black beans, soaked overnight in plenty of water
• 3 cups water
• 4 cups white granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt to taste (I like my syrup to be a tad salty), optional
• Additional white granulated sugar, optional

*Why soak? Soaking beans overnight cuts their cooking time almost in half for starters. And the soaking process also removes the complex sugars which make beans “the musical fruit”, i.e. it gets rid of the farty part.

Directions

1.) Mix the water and 4 cups of sugar, and salt, if using, together in a medium-large size sauce pan. Bring to a boil then set to simmer.

2.) Drain beans and rinse them in cold water. Cook beans separately, according to directions (make sure not to boil the beans too much or the skins will break and make for an ugly amanatto). If you have a pressure cooker, nows a good time to use it! Drain and rinse beans in cold water.

3.) Pick out any cooked beans that are too broken or too mushy. Pick out any loose bean skins.

4.) Gently add beans to simmering sugar mixture. Simmer gently uncovered for one hour 20 minutes or until beans become translucent (*Note: Only lima beans will become very translucent).

5.) In a separate bowl, pour some of the extra sugar, set aside. Heat oven to lowest temperature (mine is 170 degrees) and have some cookie sheets handy.

6.) Strain hot beans in a colander. Gently transfer hot beans in small batches to the bowl with sugar. Shake bowl gently to completely cover beans with sugar. Use a large slotted spoon to sift out covered beans. Repeat till all candied beans are covered.

7.) Place covered beans in a single layer on the cookie sheets. Put in preheated oven for 10 minutes or until outside is no longer very moist. *Note: This step may not be necessary in dry climates. My initial run of amanatto did not need this step. My second run was done when the humidity was high and I then needed this additional step. Also, do not overdry these or you’ll ruin the amanatto!

8.) Let beans cool completely on baking sheet, otherwise, when you store them you’ll have unwanted condensation which will ruin the amanatto. After completely cooled, store beans in an airtight container, in a cool dark place (no need to refrigerate). Amanatto will stay good for about a month, in a cool, dark, dry place.

Makes approximately five cups.

*Note: Humidity is the bane of amanatto and will make the amanatto tacky to the touch. To combat moisture:

• Dry the amanatto in a humidity free locale and not necessarily in an oven with a consisitent low temperature. One good way to do that is to heat the oven to its lowest setting, turn it off, put the amanatto in, and let it coast overnight. Repeat as necessary, but be very careful not to over dry the amanatto. Over drying your amanatto will make it crispy and nasty (I’ve been there).
• If you live in a humid climate, chances are very, very good there’s moisture in your sugar. Make sure your coating sugar has absolutely zero moisture; any moisture in the coating sugar will make the sugar clump on the beans and be difficult to dry. Some people advise microwaving sugar on the lowest setting for about one minute to remove any moisture.
• Candy and dry like sizes of beans with like, that way, there’s less of a chance of over drying the finished amanatto. If you use lima and mung beans for example, the mung beans will dry out much faster than the lima. Prepare beans which differ that much in size separately.
• Make sure the amanatto is at room temperature when storing; the slightest bit of heat will cause condensation in an airtight container.
• Get some food safe silica packs and place them in the container with the amanatto.

Making amanatto at home is a time consuming process, although thankfully, it’s fairly easy to make- the steps consisting mainly of boiling beans in various fluids. My advice to you then, which I myself took when I made amanatto the second time, is if you like amanatto, double or triple this recipe. I did and my amanatto still only lasted a little over two weeks. Make lots of this at a time since the time involved is relatively the same – give or take 10 minutes- if you make one batch or three.

A great thing about making amanatto at home is the money you’ll save. The amanatto I bought at Mitsuwa cost $3.50 for two and a half cups. That factors out to $1.40 a cup. After I bought the bags of beans and sugar – $0.72/ 2 lbs. lima; $1.00/ lb. black beans; $1.80/ lb. adzuki; $1.20/ lb. navy beans; $1.99/ 5 lbs. sugar – it cost me about $0.45 a cup for made from scratch amanatto. And, let’s face it, if you don’t live near an Asian market, your only chances of trying this stuff are practically non-existent unless you make it, buy it online, or go to Japan.

Amanatto is great as a stand alone snack, but it’s even better as an ingredient or additive! Try sprinkling amanatto on green tea ice cream or adding it to yogurt parfaits or ice cream sundaes. Make a fun Japanese snack mix with amanatto, plain kaki no tane, soy nuts, toasted pumpkin seeds, crunchy non-wasabi peas, and candied ginger! Add amanatto to muffins, cupcakes or to a spice cake instead of raisins. When making daifuku, toss some adzuki or black bean amanatto (lima beans would be too big) into the hot mochi for amanatto daifuku. Come Christmas, revamp that sorry fruit cake recipe with a Japanese twist by adding amanatto along with almonds, chestnuts, and candied ginger instead of the blasé stand-bys of candied cherries and pineapple, raisins, and walnuts. The culinary possibilities for this high protein fat-free treat are almost endless. Experiment with amanatto and expand your cooking horizons!

I liked amanatto since:

• It’s a delicious way to enjoy beans!
• Amanatto is a fat free treat that’s super high in fiber and protein.
• It’s a Japanese wagashi everyone can make!
• Amanatto is a versatile ingredient in creative cooking.

I have zero complaints about amanatto.

I love amanatto, and once you try making this at home, you and yours will too!

Difficulty: Easy | Time: 2-3.5 hours | Ingredient Availability: Easy