Hagi-Style Itokoni (Azuki and Shiratama Clear Soup)

Quick answer

Total time: 150 min
Level: Hard
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 11

About this dish

Itokoni is a Yamaguchi dish that combines sweetened azuki beans with soft shiratama dumplings, while its broth and other ingredients change across the prefecture.

This version follows the clear Hagi style. Azuki beans simmer gently for about 90 minutes so their skins stay intact, then absorb a small amount of sugar syrup off the heat. Half of the shiratama dough is colored red to make paired red and white dumplings. Dried shiitake cooks in kombu dashi seasoned lightly with salt and light soy sauce before the sweet beans, dumplings, and crescent slices of kamaboko are added for one brief boil. Sweet and savory tastes remain distinct in the same bowl. Cooking beans and dumplings separately keeps the final broth clear.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

dried azuki beans50 gg

sugar50 gg

water for azuki syrup30 mlml

kamaboko fish cake30 gg

dried shiitake mushroom3 gg

shiratamako glutinous rice flour30 gg

red food coloring1 dropdrop

kombu dashi500 mlml

salt½ tsptsp

light soy sauce1 tsptsp

water for soaking and boiling3 LL

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Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

8 steps

1

Control

Wash 50g azuki and soak in 500ml of the preparation water for 8 hours.

Drain, cover with 700ml fresh water, boil for 5 minutes, and discard this first cooking water.
2

Control

Cover the beans with 700ml fresh water, bring to a boil, and simmer very gently for about 90 minutes.

Do not stir, and top up with hot preparation water as needed. When a bean crushes softly between fingers, drain.
3

Control

Add 50g sugar and 30ml syrup water to the cooked azuki.

Bring to one boil over medium heat, turn off the heat, cover, and rest 20 minutes so the beans absorb sweetness.
4

Prep

Soak 3g dried shiitake in 200ml of the kombu dashi for 20 minutes.

Strain the liquid and combine with the remaining stock to total 500ml. Remove the hard stem and cut the mushroom into quarters.
5

Prep

Add preparation water to 30g shiratamako 1 teaspoon at a time until the dough is as soft as an earlobe.

Mix 1 drop red coloring into half, form 4 white and 4 red balls, and press each center lightly.
6

Heat

Bring the remaining preparation water to a generous boil and add the dumplings.

After all float, cook 1 minute more and transfer to cold water. Cut 30g kamaboko into 8 crescent slices 5mm thick.
7

Control

Simmer 500ml kombu dashi and the shiitake for 5 minutes.

Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon light soy sauce, add the sweetened azuki, drained red and white dumplings, and kamaboko, and bring to one brief boil.
8

Finish

Place 2 red and white dumplings in each of 4 bowls and divide the azuki, shiitake, and kamaboko evenly.

Add the clear broth and serve warm, or refrigerate at 4°C or below within 2 hours if serving chilled.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Fifty grams sweetened azuki with intact skins
Finish cue: Add preparation water to 30g shiratamako 1 teaspoon at a time until the dough is as soft as an earlobe.
Avoid this: Do not stir, and top up with hot preparation water as needed.
Storage and reheating: Add the clear broth and serve warm, or refrigerate at 4°C or below within 2 hours if serving chilled.