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1
Rinse the adzuki beans and soak in a saucepan with enough water to cover.
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2
Bring to a boil and drain.
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3
Repeat this 2~3 times.
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4
Combine the beans with 5 times the amount of water in the pan and bring to a boil.
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5
Then turn down the heat to low, and cook until the beans are tender.
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6
Add water from time to time.
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7
This time, it took 1 hour and 40 minutes to cook the beans until they were tender.
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8
Now, you only need enough water to cover the beans.
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9
If there is too much water in the pan, discard.
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10
Then add sugar and salt.
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11
(Note: Don't add sugar before the beans become tender.)
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Cover and leave to stand overnight.
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13
The next morning, cook over low heat until there is not much water left in the pan.
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14
Make the regular white rice first.
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15
For the mochi rice, rinse and soak in hour for 1 hour, then cook in a rice cooker with the same amount of water as you'd use for regular rice.
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16
When the water in the pot is almost gone, stay close to the pan!
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17
Stir with a wooden spatula gently from the bottom.
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It's done when the adzuki beans drop slowly from the spatula.
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Leave to cool down.
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Don't worry if you think it's too soft, because it will thicken up a bit when it cools down.
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21
When the rice is cooked, mash while it is still hot, using a moistened wooden pestle.
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22
Mash the rice until it is still a bit lumpy.
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23
You won't waste any ingredients if you match the number of rice balls and anko portions.
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24
We always use kinako powder to use up the leftover rice.
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25
For anko ohagi: Put a piece of cling film on your hand and put 1 portion of anko on top.
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26
Flatten the anko.
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27
Place a rice ball on top.
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Wrap the anko around the rice ball.
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29
For kinako ohagi: Wet your hands and flatten a rice ball on your hands.
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30
Put a small portion of anko on top.
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31
Make a barrel-shaped rice ball using both hands.
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32
Coat with a loooooot of kinako powder.
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(We don't add any sugar to the kinako as it gets sticky after a while, but it's up to you).
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34
These are our pride and joy!
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35
We make a lot to share.
