Japanese Monaka Recipe

Monaka is a traditional Japanese confection which consists of a sweet sticky filling sandwiched between two rice-based wafers. Glutinous rice flour is mixed with water to form a dough which is rolled out thin. Shapes are cut out and the dough is baked.

Alternatively the rice mixture can be made into a batter and spooned into a mold then baked. Once cooled the filling, typically bean paste is spread on one wafer then covered with another. It is served with tea.

The rice based wafers are also called mochi and the Japanase may refer to it as a skin or monaka seed. These are typically shaped using a decorative mold. The are crunchy and have a slight sweetness. The traditional filling is made from adzuki red beans sweetened with sugar and syrup and cooked into a thick sticky paste.

Today, monaka can be found, made with a flavored red bean paste, the most common being melon. There is also a white bean paste called shiro-ann. It is made from lima or navy beans. Other monaka fillings besides the traditional bean paste are chestnut paste, and moderns twists include ice cream, whipped cream and chocolate.

Origin and Significance

Monaka can be traced back to the Endo period when delicate sweets were created and enjoyed by Japanese aristocracy. The first monaka were round and called Monaka no Tsuki meaning monaka moon, referring to its shape.

Later when other shapes emerged, the name was shortened to simply monaka. Monaka comes in an endless variety of shapes and sizes but they are typically bite sized. They belong to a type of Japanese sweets called wagashi.

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Japanese Monaka Recipe

Yield: 6 Servings

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Additional Time: 8 hours

Total Time: 10 hours 30 minutes

Monaka is a traditional Japanese confection which consists of a sweet sticky filling sandwiched between two rice-based wafers.

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Ingredients

Anko Paste

• Adzuki beans - 200g
• Granulated sugar - 300g
• Salt - 2g
• Water - 1000g

Agar liquid

• Ito agar - 1g
• Water - 710g
• Starch syrup 30g

Monaka Skins

• Shiratamako 42g
• Cornstarch 14g
• Water 50g
• Salad oil 3g

Instructions

1. Let the ito agar soak overnight to soften it.
2. Wash the adzuki beans thoroughly.
3. Put the beans and water in a pot and bring to a boil over high heat.
4. When it starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium.
5. When the beans are soft, drain it into a colander.
6. Discard the boiling water and rinse the adzuki beans.
7. Add the beans and enough water to cover to the same pot and bring to a boil again.
8. Add the sugar in 3-4 small portions then let it simmer.
9. Add salt and reduce the heat to low and let it simmer until the water evaporates.
10. Mash the beans.
11. Place the soaked agar into a pan, add the water and place over medium heat.
12. Stir the agar as it dissolves.
13. Strain the mixture and add it back to the pot.
14. Stir in the starch syrup.
15. Add the mashed beans and mix well.
16. Preheat the oven to 450 F
17. Grease the monaka mold.
18. Mix shiratama flour and cornstarch, add water and stir into a batter.
19. Then, lightly coat the mold with the batter.
20. Place an empty mold into the coated mold press them tightly together, and fasten the two together with wooden clothespins. (This will even out the batter and give a more consistent result)
21. Place in preheated oven and bake for 12 minutes.
22. Once baked, remove the clothespins while still hot and remove the dough from the mold. (If the dough is still sticky, it’s undercooked. Let it bake for another 2-3 minutes.)
23. When it comes out of the mold cleanly, the monaka skin is ready.
24. Fill with the anko paste.
    

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 263Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 147mgCarbohydrates: 64gFiber: 2gSugar: 52gProtein: 3g

Nutrition is provided and calculated by Nutritionix. It is for general information purposes and is only a rough estimation.