Japanese cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Anmitsu

Clear agar cubes with sweet red bean paste, fruit, and rice flour dumplings, drizzled with dark sugar syrup.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 4g agar-agar (kanten strips)
• 500ml water
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 100g glutinous rice flour (shiratamako)
• 80ml water for the dough
• 200g sweet red bean paste (anko)
• 1 can mandarin oranges (300g)
• 200g fruit (melon, kiwi, or pineapple)
• 100g brown sugar
• 100ml water for the syrup

Instructions

1. Stir the agar-agar with 500ml water and the sugar and let it swell for 10 minutes; meanwhile, cut the fruit into bite-sized pieces and drain the mandarin oranges.
2. Bring the agar mixture to a boil while stirring, boil for 2 minutes, pour into a shallow pan, and chill for 40 minutes, until firm enough to cut.
3. Simmer the brown sugar with 100ml water for the syrup for 5–6 minutes, until a dark, syrupy kuromitsu forms, and let it cool completely.
4. Knead the glutinous rice flour with 80ml water for the dough into a smooth dough that feels like an earlobe, and roll into 16 small balls.
5. Cook the balls in boiling water for 3–4 minutes, until they float to the surface, and shock them immediately in ice water so they stay firm to the bite.
6. Cut the jelly into 1.5cm cubes and arrange in bowls with the fruit, mandarin oranges, rice flour dumplings, and a spoonful of red bean paste each, then pour the cold syrup over the top.