Snack · 75 min · japanese

Zenzai

A Japanese snack built around adzuki beans and sugar — on the table in 75 minutes. It is weeknight cooking that still hits your targets — 10 grams of protein per serving. Naturally vegetarian and vegan, it scales cleanly if you are cooking for more than one.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Adzuki beans
• 0.75 cup Sugar
• 6 cups Water
• 0.25 tsp Salt
• 4 pieces Mochi
• 0.25 cup Chestnuts

Steps

1. Simmer the adzuki beans in the water 60 minutes until completely soft and starting to break down. Skim as needed.
2. Stir in the sugar and salt; simmer 10 minutes more. The soup should be sweet with a savory backbone — the salt is essential.
3. Toast the mochi until puffed and golden.
4. Place a mochi cake in each bowl and ladle over the hot zenzai with chestnuts.
5. Serve immediately, while the mochi is still stretchy. Winter in a bowl, and the reason mochi exists.

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