As you know from my previous post, I got my hands on Adam Liaw's 4th cook book, Asian Cookery School. Went a little rebellious and didn't start with Lesson 1. Instead, I started with Lesson 10: Sweets. :p

From Adam Liaw's Asian Cookery School, Anko (Red Bean Paste)

Two varieties of Anko: chunky variety (left), known in Japanese as tsubuan, is a little easier to make; the smooth variety (right),  koshian, is the most popular

This requires overnight soaking of the adzuki beans and 1 1/2 hours of boiling, draining, and simmering. The smooth paste (koshian) requires grinding with a mortar and pestle, and passing through a sieve to remove any pieces of skin.

Anko can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 1 month and in the fridge for up to 6 months.

Made sesame balls (page 227 of Asian Cookery School) with the smooth red bean paste.

Love the golden brown hue after deep-frying!

Don't they look good?

Om nom nom nom.