Japanese · dessert

Mizu Yokan (Chilled Smooth Red Bean Jelly)

Mizu Yokan (Chilled Smooth Red Bean Jelly) reads sweetness 8.4, salinity 3.6 and richness 1.5 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Japanese dessert, about 3 hr 20 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

The measured notes (of 18)

Sweetness 8.4 · Salinity 3.6 · Richness 1.5 · Earthy 1.5 · Umami 0.9 · Floral 0.8 · Nutty 0.7

What's in it (8)

Time & effort: about 3 hr 20 min (16 min active) · effort: medium

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 28 kcal, 0 g protein, 0 g fat, 7.2 g carbs

Dietary: Vegan — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (7 steps)

  1. Tear the kanten stick into pieces, cover with the 500 ml of cold water and leave it 30 minutes to soften, squeezing it once with your hand halfway through. Kanten is agar from seaweed, not gelatin: it sets at room temperature, holds its shape in a warm room and gives a clean snap rather than a wobble, which is why a summer sweet is made with it.
  2. Bring the kanten and its soaking water to a boil, then simmer at a low bubble for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring, until you cannot see a single fleck of undissolved kanten against the side of the pan. Undissolved agar is the reason a yokan sets in layers.
  3. Stir in the sugar and salt and simmer 2 minutes more.
  4. Loosen the koshian with the 2 teaspoons of cold water, then add it to the pan in three additions, whisking smooth after each. Simmer 5 to 6 minutes at a bare bubble, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon and scraping the bottom, until the mixture just coats the spoon. Mizu yokan is the loose, high-water summer version; cooked down twice as far it becomes the firm neri-yokan sold in blocks.
  5. Take off the heat, stir in the mizuame, and strain through a fine sieve into a jug to catch any skin or lumps. Set the pan of mixture in a bowl of iced water and stir gently for 3 to 4 minutes until it thickens slightly and stops steaming, which keeps the bean solids in suspension rather than sinking to the bottom.
  6. Pour into a wetted square mould or into individual cups, drop in the chestnut halves if using, and leave at room temperature 30 minutes until set, then chill 2 hours. Cut into slabs with a wet knife and serve cold, with green tea. It is eaten in the hottest weeks of the year, straight from the refrigerator.
  7. Substitutions: light corn syrup can stand in for the mizuame.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.