Decchi Yokan (Soft Red Bean Jelly)

Name: Decchi Yokan (Soft Red Bean Jelly)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Yield: 16 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: agar threads 15 g; water 1000 ml; smooth sweet red bean paste 500 g; sugar 250 g

Quick answer

Active time: 35 min
Waiting: See the steps
Level: Medium
Servings: 16 servings
Ingredients: 4

About this dish

With 1000ml of water to 500g of smooth bean paste, this yokan sets soft and moist, and a knife slides through easily.

It is a winter sweet from northern Settsu in Osaka, remembered as a cheap treat tied to shop apprentices back when sugar was expensive. Unlike firm yokan that keeps at room temperature, it lives in the fridge and is served cold.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmount

smooth sweet red bean paste

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Instructions

6 steps

1

Rinse 15g agar threads quickly under running water and squeeze dry.

Cut to 3cm lengths, combine with 1000ml water in a heavy pot, and soak 10 minutes.
2

Bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce to low, and stir 8 to 12 minutes.

Continue until no agar strand can be lifted with chopsticks and the liquid is fully clear.
3

Add 500g smooth bean paste in three portions, whisking each completely smooth.

Add 250g sugar and bring back to a boil over medium heat while sweeping the bottom with a spatula.
4

Once evenly boiling, stir 1 minute more to dissolve the sugar and remove from heat.

Set the pot in a bowl of cold water and keep scraping bottom and sides until the mixture reaches 40 to 42C.
5

Pour immediately into a rinsed 20cm square mold and skim surface bubbles with a spoon.

Set 30 minutes at room temperature, cover, and refrigerate at 4C or below for 2 hours.
6

Loosen the edge with a thin knife and invert.

With a clean knife dipped in water, cut into sixteen 4 to 5cm rectangles and serve chilled.