Zenzai and shiruko, sweet red bean hot soups, a heartful winter sweet

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Azuki, small red bean are the most important ingredient for most of traditional Japanese sweets.

The simplest way to enjoy them is “zenzai” a sweet and hot soup made with bean, water and sugar.

Shiruko is the same soup where the beans have been crushed and skins strained to have a smooth texture.

This is a very filling and warming sweet, which is usually enjoyed during cold season.

You can add many things inside like rice dumpling or mochi, rice cake.

Here is an homemade version with grilled mochi.

Just top the soup with a grilled mochi and enjoy the different textures of the sticky rice cake and the sweet beans.

You can enjoy it in many Japanese traditional cafes, tea house or restaurants, even your house.

But it’s also possible to buy it already made at the supermarket.

Just put the contents of the bag in the bowl. 

You can eat it hot with mochi or cold with a scoop of vanilla or matcha ice cream.

This version a sweet chestnut inside. 

There’s even a version with soymilk.

Here is a powder version. 

Just mix the powder with hot water, and top with the rice dumpling sold together.

This variety is called Shiruko, because the bean have mix to have a smooth texture.

Since it doesn’t weigh much, it could be a nice souvenir to bring back to eat with your family.

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