Oshiruko (Oshiruko)
Overview
Oshiruko is a sweet Japanese soup of azuki red beans served with soft, toasted mochi rice cakes. Azuki beans are simmered until tender and then cooked with sugar and a pinch of salt until they form a thick, glossy, dark red soup. Some versions keep the beans whole or partly crushed, while others are strained to a smooth paste. Squares of mochi are grilled until puffed and lightly browned, then dropped into the hot bean soup, where they become soft and stretchy. It is often served with a small dish of salted kelp or pickles to balance the sweetness.
History
Sweet bean soups have been eaten in Japan since the Edo period. Oshiruko is especially linked with winter and the New Year, when leftover mochi is used up, and with the kagami biraki ritual in January, when the decorative New Year mochi is broken and eaten. In western Japan the version with whole beans is often called zenzai. Cans of hot oshiruko are even sold in vending machines in winter.
Main ingredients
Azuki beans, sugar, mochi rice cakes, salt, water. The soup is built on sweet azuki bean soup and is usually served hot. Diet: vegan; usually gluten-free.
Explore: Bean soups · Rice soups · More soups from Japan
Recipe
Method
- 15 min 1 h
Boil the beans for 5 minutes, drain, then simmer in fresh water for about 1 hour until soft.
- 215 min
Add the sugar in two parts and simmer for 15 minutes, then add the salt.
- 3
Grill or toast the mochi until puffed and lightly browned.
- 4
Put the mochi in bowls and ladle the hot bean soup over.
- ✓
Serve. About 1h 40m from start to bowl.
Sources
Description, history and recipe written by SoupWiki and checked against the sources above. Calories and times are rough estimates.
