RED BEAN SOUP WITH MOCHI RECIPES

Steps:

• Soak azuki beans overnight.
• Boil azuki beans in large pot for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse and put back in pot.
• Add the 6 cups of water and the salt to azuki beans and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 hours or until beans are soft, occasionally skimming the scum on the top. (This scum can make it bitter so try to remove as much as possible.
• While the beans are cooking, prepare the mochi.
• Put the glutinous rice flour and granulated sugar in a bowl, add water slowly to flour and knead it. Add water until the dough is soft, but still holds its shape.
• Form the dough into ping pong sized balls.
• Boil water in another pot and put dough balls into the boiling water and reduce to gentle boil. Mochi is done when it floats to the top. Set aside the mochi until the soup is ready.
• After the beans are soft, add the vanilla and crystallised sugar according to your taste. Cook for another 15 minutes or until the sugar is dissolved, and the beans are flavoured.
• Put the mochi in a bowl and cover with the bean soup.

Steps:

• Make the filling: Rinse the beans and transfer to a large pot. Cover the beans with water and bring to a boil; drain. Cover the beans again with water and this time simmer until they are completely tender, about an hour to an hour and a half, adding more water if necessary to keep the beans submerged. Drain.
• Purée the drained beans in a food processor or blender to make a smooth paste. If the beans are too dry to catch the blades, add a few tablespoons of water. Return the bean purée to the same pot and stir in the sugar and salt. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until most of the water has evaporated and the purée is very thick, 10 to 15 minutes. Spread bean paste in a wide, shallow container and refrigerate until firm and cool.
• Meanwhile, make the mochi dough: Line a sheet pan with a piece of parchment paper and spread a generous heap of potato starch in a large circle; set aside. In a bowl, whisk together the mochiko flour and 1 1/3 cup/300 milliliters water until smooth. Pour mixture through a mesh strainer into a saucepan, using the whisk to help push it through if necessary. Add the sugar and mix well. Switch to a heatproof spatula and cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens and comes together as one big, smooth, shiny mass that can hold its shape, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Using a starch-dusted knife, cut the dough into 20 even pieces. (If eating plain, or as an ice cream topping, cut into 40 to 50 smaller pieces.) One at a time, use a rolling pin to roll a piece of mochi dough into a thick, flat disk about 2 inches by 2 inches. Use potato starch liberally to keep the dough from sticking to your work surface, the rolling pin or your fingers. Roll a scant tablespoon of bean paste between your hands to form a ball and place it in the center of the rolled-out dough piece. Use your fingers to evenly stretch the mochi dough up and around the filling without squishing it, pinching the dough shut at the top to seal it, and then gently rolling the mochi between your hands to form a rounded shape. Set on the parchment-lined baking sheet with the seam on the bottom. Eat the filled mochi the day they’re made, or cover and store in the refrigerator for 1 day.