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    Home » Recipes » Chinese desserts

    Red Bean Paste

    Last Modified: December 14, 2022 by Elaine| 90 Comments

    3.0K shares
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    Red bean paste is one of my favorite dessert fillings and it is widely used in Asian cuisine and Chinese desserts. Making red bean paste at home is quite easy and requires several ingredients only.

    red bean paste|chinasichuanfood.com

    What's red bean paste

    Red bean paste, also known as Anko in Japanese, is a popular ingredient used in many traditional Asian dishes. It is made from red beans (aka red beans)) that have been boiled, mashed, and sweetened with sugar and smoothed by fat. The texture of red bean paste can range from thick and smooth to slightly chunky. It has been widely used in Chinese and Japanese cuisines. Although store-bought red bean paste is super convenient, the homemade version is so amazing that I want to share with you the process.

    red bean paste|chinasichuanfood.com

    The main ingredient - Adzuki beans

    Adzuki beans or Aka red beans are small red beans that are widely used in East Asian cuisines. It is quite larger than mung beans we call it "赤红豆". It has a slightly sweet and nutty flavor, with a texture similar to lentils when cooked. Adzuki beans are highly valued for their medicinal properties in Chinese traditional medicine as they are believed to help reduce inflammation, nourish the kidneys, and promote healthy digestion. So there is a famous Chinese red bean soup. Adzuki beans can be easy to found in Asian stores. In addition to the raw beans, there might be cooked red beans such as sweetened red beans (蜜红豆).

    red bean paste|chinasichuanfood.com

    Varieties of red bean paste

    Chinese red bean paste is slightly different from the Japanese version which only requires beans and sweeteners. We also add fat, either pork lard or butter. Adding oil to the red bean paste has several advantages including

    1. a better texture- much smoother
    2. enhanced flavors - the flavor of the oil can combine well with sugar and make the red bean paste taste better.
    3. avoid the paste from drying after being cooled and helps to keep the original texture for a longer time.

    If you want a vegan version, you can use natural vegetable oil as a substitute or use coconut oil. In addition to this difference, we also have different varieties in texture.

    Chunky texture (Tsubu-an) is the most convenient and easiest way of making red bean paste. The paste is thick with red beans as large chunks inside the paste. You can use this version to make red bean soup directly.

    Smooth version (Koshi-an) - this one is much popular in Chinese. Traditionally, boiled red beans are stored in a bag and then wash in water to let the puree come out and remove the skins. But a quicker version is to blend in a blender until really smooth.

    red bean paste|chinasichuanfood.com

    How to use red bean paste

    Red bean paste has a sweet red bean flavor that perfectly complements other dishes such as traditional pastries, mooncakes, steamed buns, Tangyuan, mochi, and ice cream.

    One of the most popular uses of red bean paste in Chinese cuisine is red bean buns, also known as red bean paste buns. These steamed buns are usually filled with red bean paste and can be served as an afternoon snack or even dessert.

    In Japan, red bean paste is used in traditional desserts such as Dorayaki (a type of pancake), Yokan (a jelly-like sweet), and red bean ice cream. Following are some recipes to try at home with your homemade version of red bean paste.

    Homemade red bean buns--soft and sweet buns perfect for breakfast known as Dou Sha Bao.
    Snow Skin Mooncake--Non-bake Snow Skin Mooncake. For the filling of Snow Skin Moon Cake, the paste should be drier than other fillings.
    Sesame balls-- I received lots of requests concerning a Chinese dessert with sesame balls on a shell and red bean paste inside.
    Mini sweet red bean buns--a transformation of Chinese steamed buns
    Mung bean cake stuffed with red bean paste - a popular Chinese dessert.
    Zongzi--Chinese sticky rice dumpling with red bean paste.

    red bean paste|chinasichuanfood.com

    Instructions

    Wash the red beans and soak the dried red beans for at least 8 hours or overnight. Longer soaking time can shorten the cooking time.

    red bean paste|chinasichuanfood.com

    Drain and transfer the beans to an instant pot, and add water. Press beans and cook the red beans until really soft.

    red bean paste|chinasichuanfood.com

    Smooth version

    Transfer the beans along with the water to a blender. Blend until really smooth.

    red bean paste|chinasichuanfood.com

    Get a non-stick pan, transfer the mixture, and add butter, sugar, and a very small pinch of salt. Continue stirring the fry the mixture until it can wrap up together.

    red bean paste|chinasichuanfood.com

    Chunky version

    Skip the blending process and add the beans directly to the non-stick pan. Add sugar, a very small pinch of salt, and butter (if using).

    red bean paste|chinasichuanfood.com

    Continue stirring the fry the mixture until it can wrap up together.

    red bean paste|chinasichuanfood.com
    How to make red bean paste (easy smashed version)

    Red Bean Paste

    Elaine
    Homemade sweet red bean paste with two ways (simplified smashed version and traditional smooth versioin)
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 1 hr
    Total Time 1 hr 10 mins
    Course sauce
    Cuisine Chinese
    Calories 274 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    Smashed version

    • 1 cup red beans (azuki bean)
    • 3 cups water
    • ½ cup sugar
    • 1 tiny pinch of salt
    • 2 tbsp. butter, lard or vegetable oil

    Smooth version

    • 1 cup red beans (azuki bean) ,azuki bean ,around 200g
    • 3 cups water
    • 1 cup sugar
    • 2 tbsp. butter or vegetable oil ,28 to 30g
    • a tiny pinch of salt

    Instructions
     

    • Wash the red beans and soak the dried red beans at least 8 hours or overnight. Longer soaking time can shorten the cooking time.
    • Drain and add around 3 cups of water in a high pressure cooker along with the beans.
    • Cook the beans for around 40 minutes or until quite soft.

    Smashed version

    • Smash the beans with a hard spatula. Add sugar and heat over slow fire to cook off extra water until form a paste texture. Stir from time to time during the process.

    Smooth version

    • Press the cooked mixture with a spatula through a fine strain to remove the skins to get the smoothest texture. Or if you prefer to keep the skin, transfer all the content to a food processor and blend to a smooth consistency.
    • Transfer the paste to a pan. Add salt, sugar and butter. Use low fire to simmer the exceeded water out. Keep stirring during the process until the paste can sticky together.

    How to store

    • Transfer to air-tight container, wait for the paste to cool down. Store in fridge.

    Notes

    Store the paste in air-tighter container up for 2 weeks.
    Prepare time do not include the time for soaking the beans. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 100gCalories: 274kcalCarbohydrates: 62.6gProtein: 30gFat: 0.4gSaturated Fat: 15gSodium: 396mgPotassium: 502mgFiber: 5.6gSugar: 40.8gVitamin A: 74IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 11.4mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword red bean
    Tried this recipe?Mention @ChinaSichuanFood

    More Chinese desserts

    • Red Bean Soup
    • Chinese Mooncake (Yue Bing)—Traditional Version
    • Lotus Seed Paste
    • Mung Bean Cake (Mung Bean Paste)

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lulu

      March 07, 2020 at 3:58 am

      Why not just pour off the excess water (or drain the cooked beans in a colander) instead of cooking off the water? You could retain some of the bean water to add back if the beans seem dry when mashing.

      Reply
      • Elaine

        March 07, 2020 at 8:22 am

        It creates a different texture. If the paste is for common desserts and filling, it is ok to keep the liquid content. But the water must be cooked off for mooncake filling.

        Reply
    2. Angie

      July 12, 2020 at 12:45 am

      Do you store these in the fridge or pantry ? 🙂

      Reply
      • Elaine

        July 12, 2020 at 8:41 am

        Air-tight container and in fridge.

        Reply
    3. Tracey Croteau

      September 25, 2020 at 1:57 am

      Is the red bean paste ever made with the addition of anise or 5 spice powder? I had these when I lived in Peru, and they had a distinct anise flavor.

      Reply
      • Elaine

        September 25, 2020 at 8:25 am

        No. I never tried red bean paste with five spice powder. Taste good?

        Reply
        • Tracey Croteau

          September 25, 2020 at 8:05 pm

          Yes, it was very tasty! I will try your recipe with and without the five spice powder to see how I like it!

          Reply
          • Elaine

            September 25, 2020 at 8:45 pm

            Thanks Tracey! I will try the version with spices next time.

            Reply
            • Tina

              February 03, 2021 at 11:53 pm

              How long do I cook the beans and at what temperature on the stove instead of a pressure cooker?

            • Elaine

              February 06, 2021 at 8:49 pm

              It takes around 45 Mins to 1 hour. I suggest you pre-cook the beans once and reheat after cool down.

    4. Jane Gillespie

      January 01, 2021 at 5:55 am

      Will the required amount of water change if I don’t cook in a pressure cooker?

      Reply
      • Elaine

        January 05, 2021 at 8:38 am

        Use 6 cups of water. Jane!

        Reply
    5. Trudy Flores

      February 11, 2021 at 6:52 am

      HI Elaine!

      I'm looking forward to trying sweet bean filling in buns for Chinese New Year, and I came straight to your website first! I've tried lots of your recipes and love your "real-life-kitchen" alterations (butter vs. lard, for example). That's the way I approach all of my cooking, and I feel like I have a friend who can help with authentic, from-scratch recipes, based on what I have available or need to use. (I love the scallion pancake recipe!)

      Thanks so much, and Happy New Year!
      Warmly,
      Trudy

      Reply
    6. Audrey

      July 25, 2021 at 12:27 am

      Hello.
      Can I reduce the sugar
      Amount? 1 cup is really high and I’m trying to reduce sugar intake.

      Thank you

      Reply
      • Elaine

        July 25, 2021 at 9:04 am

        Yes, you can reduce the sugar slightly.

        Reply
    7. mavee125

      August 11, 2021 at 4:24 pm

      5 stars
      Awesome! This homemade red bean paste is perfect for the sticky rice I just bought in Karman Foods. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • Elaine

        August 12, 2021 at 9:56 am

        Thank you, Mavee!

        Reply
    8. Electra

      January 09, 2022 at 1:49 am

      Hey can you please put the recipe in grams? I really want to make it!!

      Reply
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