Anko Food

ANKO

Steps:

• Place the beans in a medium bowl and add enough cold water to cover by about 2 inches. Cover and refrigerate until the beans have swelled, about 8 hours or up to 24 hours.
• Drain the beans and transfer to a 5-quart Dutch oven or medium saucepan. Add 4 cups cold water and bring to a boil over high heat. Drain the beans, then combine them with the baking soda in the same pot. Fill the pot with another 4 cups cold water, cover, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Remove the lid, reduce the heat to low and gently simmer, stirring occasionally, until the beans are very soft, about 45 minutes. Add warm water as needed to keep the beans covered.
• Drain the beans, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Clean the pot and set aside. Transfer the beans to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until most of them are broken down, about 10 to 15 pulses. If the beans aren't moving much in the food processor, add some of the reserved cooking liquid.
• Return the beans to the cleaned pot and add the sugar, oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the paste is thick enough for you to see the bottom of the pot when you run a spatula across it, 10 to 20 minutes.
• Transfer the paste to a baking sheet or wide shallow bowl, spread it out evenly and let cool completely. It will thicken as it cools. The cooled bean paste can be used immediately or stored in airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week or in a resealable plastic freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.

ANKO

Steps:

• 1. Put the soaked beans in a medium- size, heavy pot, cover them with water to a depth of 2 inches, and bring to a boil. Boil the beans for 5 minutes, then drain them through a colander and rinse. Repeat. After the second boil-drain-rinse cycle, cover the beans a third time, this time with 3 cups cold water. Let the beans simmer, uncovered, skimming off any foam that accumulates, until they're tender, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• 2. At this point, there should still be plenty of liquid along with the beans in the pot. They need not be covered completely, but they should be, as I say, swimming. If not, add another cup or so of hot water. Stir in the brown sugar and salt and keep simmering the beans gently, stirring them often.
• 3. Using a potato masher, begin breaking up the cooking beans into a chunky, thick, pastelike mash, stirring more and more often after this point to prevent sticking. Continue simmering until most, but not all, of the liquid has evaporated; the beans will continue to thicken, absorbing water as they cool. Remove the mashed beans from the heat and set aside. If you want a smooth puree, let the anko cool slightly, then run it through a food processor. Store it, tightly covered, in the fridge for up to a week.

ANKO (SWEET RED BEAN PASTE)

Steps:

• Place beans in a saucepan and cover with 2 cups water; bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Drain and discard water.
• Place drained beans in a clean saucepan and cover with 2 to 3 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover the saucepan, and simmer, adding more water as needed, until beans are soft and can be crushed between your fingers, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Drain beans and discard water.
• Stir beans and sugar together in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until sugar melts and beans form a loose, shiny paste, about 10 minutes. Immediately transfer the paste to a container to cool. Store, covered, in the refrigerator.