An Pan (Red Beans Bun)
Anko is one of my favorite sweets in Japan. Anko, red bean paste or jam, is made of red beans called Azuki, used in East Asian regions such as Japan, South Korea, and China. It is a great combination, especially with bread, pancakes, rice cake, and donuts, and its rich nutrition with much carbohydrates and no fat but without butter or oils has become a new trend as a healthy sweet in many countries such as the US and European countries. Making anko paste from the beans is a bit too much time-consuming and a highly technical process, but you can find it easily in most supermarkets throughout the year.
In my hometown, northern part of Japan, mochi(sticky rice cake) with anko is traditionally the necessary set of celebration meals for the new year, so I feel overwhelmed when I eat anko-mochi. Anko has two types used differently for each sweet, Tsubu-an, which tastes more chunky containing the seed coats, or Koshi-an, which is a smoother paste, and it can be sometimes controversial to be preferred Tsubu-an or Koshi-an. My favorite has always been Tsubu-an!
An-Pan (An=Anko, Pan means Bread) is a fluffy bun with a sweet red bean paste filling
I would like to share the recipe for Anko Bread, which is also favored by many people.
Ingredients (6 pieces)
- - Anko Paste 100g
- - Bread Flour 220g
- - Milk 120mil
- - Egg 1
- - Sugar 20g
- - Salt 2g
- - Bread yeast 3g
- - Butter 20g
Recipe
- 1 Mix the bread flour, sugar, salt, and bread yeast in the large mixing bowl. Add warmed milk at around 40℃ and a half amount of well-mixed egg into the bowl. Mix it until the dough gets sticky using a large spoon or rubber spatula.
- 2 Transfer the dough onto the flat space, and knead it until gets elastic for 10 minutes. In the first couple of minutes, the dough must stick to your hands which irritates you, but do not give up! It will become elastic after some time.
- 3 Add softened butter to the dough and continue kneading for another 5 minutes until it stretches well, and thin without breaking when pressed.
- 4 First Rise: Cover the dough with a wet towel or plastic wrap to avoid drying, and proof at about 30-40 ℃ for around 40 minutes until it gets double size.
- 5 For a proof test, press the center of the dough with a finger. If the hole remains without coming back, it is ready for the next step.
- 6 Divide into 6 pieces making a small ball, and let them rest for another 10 minutes.
- 7 Rolle single dough for flatting and put a small ball of Anko paste and keep the round shape. Make sure to wrap Anko perfectly by stretching together the dough.
- 8 Second Rise: Cover the small balls of bun with a wet towel or plastic wrap on the oven plate, and let rest at about 30-40℃ for 20 minutes.
- 9 Bake: Set oven to pre-heat at 180℃. Use half the amount of well-mixed egg left to wash over the bun to make the surface shiny. Bake for about 20 minutes until the top of the bun color golden brown.
Meshiagare!
When people think of Tokyo, they often envision futuristic buildings, robot servers in restaurants, and the flashing lights of Kabukichō. However, there's a wealth of experiences that don't involve gadgets or technology. In the rural areas surrounding Tokyo, you can enjoy activities like strawberry picking, shiohigari (clam-digging), and much more. This time, I'm excited to share our annual inekari, or rice harvest, activity.
What is Inekari?
Inekari, or rice harvest, typically occurs in the autumn months, from September to October. Historically, rice harvesting was a manual process involving sickles. This labour-intensive method required cutting the rice stalks, bundling them, and then drying them before threshing. Inekari is a communal activity where neighbours come together to help each other with the harvest, reinforcing social bonds and community spirit.
Inekari Experience
We began our inekari at 8:00 am. Although autumn has brought cooler temperatures, today was unexpectedly warm. In the past, we used sickles for the entire process, but this year, we cheated and decided to use a rice harvester to expedite the work. We started by manually cutting the rice on the edges and corners of the field to create enough space for the machine to manoeuvre.
The weather was somewhat cloudy, with no rain and the sun hidden. It was the perfect condition to work and enjoy being in the field.
Passing the bundles of rice through a chain of volunteers is faster and less tiring compared to each volunteer carrying bundles individually. And way more fun.
Once most of the rice was harvested, we prepared haza, or rice racks, for the paddy rice. The harvested rice is hung on racks to be dried naturally by the sun and wind. This traditional method, known as hasakake, ensures high-quality rice through natural drying. Even after the harvest, farmers remain busy maintaining the temperature and humidity of the rice to preserve its original freshness and flavour.
Typically, this process takes us two days of cutting and hanging rice, but thanks to the many volunteers this year, we were able to finish in just one day.
After a hard day's work, we headed to an onsen for some much-needed relaxation. As usual, we ended our day with a nijikai (second party), celebrating our efforts with a hearty "otsukareee" (good job).
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The Significance of Inekari
The rice harvested during inekari is often categorised based on quality, with some regions known for producing premium varieties of rice that are highly sought after both domestically and internationally. This annual tradition not only ensures a bountiful supply of rice but also strengthens community ties and preserves cultural heritage.
I hope this glimpse into rural life near Tokyo has inspired you to explore beyond the city's modern attractions and discover the rich traditions that continue to thrive in Japan's countryside.
Message us if you're interested in volunteering for next year's inekari.
