Japanese Zenzai Recipe (Sweet Red Bean Soup) | Veggiekins Blog (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between Oshiruko and Zenzai? ›

Chunky red bean soup OR soup-less chunky red bean over mochi is called Zenzai. Soupy red bean soup without any beans is called Oshiruko.

In Western Japan, zenzai refers to a type of shiruko made from a mixture of paste and crushed beans. In Okinawa, the term zenzai commonly refers to this bean soup served over shaved ice with mochi. Other toppings, such as sweetened condensed milk, are occasionally added for flavor.

According to the story, a man named Gong Gong had a bad son who died on the day of winter solstice and became a disease-spreading evil spirit who was afraid of red bean porridge. People began to make red bean porridge on winter solstice to ward off the spirit, and forestall epidemic diseases.

The fiber in red beans will help regulate cholesterol in the blood. body at the right level. In addition, the potassium in red beans also helps to dilate blood vessels, thereby increasing blood circulation - helping to reduce blood pressure and pressure on the heart wall.

In addition to favorable edibility, the human health benefits of adzuki beans include antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties.

Vigna angularis, also known as the adzuki bean (Japanese: 小豆 (アズキ), azuki, Uncommon アヅキ, adzuki), azuki bean, aduki bean, red bean, or red mung bean, is an annual vine widely cultivated throughout East Asia for its small (approximately 5 mm or 1⁄4 in long) bean.

You can make this warm soup as sweet or as mild as you'd like, and enjoy this protein-packed, fiber-licious, bean-based dessert that promotes good health! It's something different but absolutely delicious and a traditional dessert for Japanese families, especially during cold seasons but is also available year-round.

Have you ever tried zenzai? It's a traditional Japanese sweet consisting of shiratama dango, boiled mochi balls, served in a red bean soup. This dessert is often prepared and eaten during winter's colder months, because the warm soup is not only delicious but also heats up both the body and soul.

Adzuki beans are linked to several health benefits, ranging from heart health and weight loss to improved digestion and a lower risk of diabetes. Plus, they are easy to incorporate into a variety of dishes.

Red or Adzuki Bean Soup

Red or Adzuki beans are high in dietary fiber that helps to improve digestive health, while increasing the absorption of healthy nutrients at the same time.

Can I eat red bean soup every day? ›

Absolutely, bean soup can be a fantastic addition to your daily diet, but like everything, it should be consumed in moderation and as part of a balanced diet. Rich in Fiber: Beans are a stellar source of dietary fiber, which aids in digestion and helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels.

One day while Jacob was cooking some bean soup, Esau came in from hunting. He was hungry and said to Jacob, “I'm starving; give me some of that red stuff.” (That is why he was called Edom.) Jacob answered, “I will give it to you if you give me your rights as the firstborn son.” Esau said, “All right!

Beans are a low-glycemic index food, so they don't cause spikes in blood sugar when you eat them. They can also help moderate the effects of foods that do cause spikes in blood sugar. For example, kidney beans or other common beans can be eaten with rice to slow the rate at which the rice digests.

Yes! "Eating beans, including canned beans, every day is one of the best things you can do to help increase nutrients [that you may fall short on] and substantially improve the quality of your diet," says Papanikolaou.

Although beans contain carbohydrates, they are low on the glycemic index (GI) scale and do not cause significant spikes in a person's blood sugar levels. Beans are a complex carbohydrate. The body digests this form more slowly than other carbohydrates, helping to keep blood sugar levels stable for longer.

Varieties include Japanese Red, Chinese Red, Adzuki Express (Johnny's Selected Seeds), Takara (Japanese import), and Minoka (Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station). The adzuki bean plant grows 1 to 2 feet high, with, leaves resembling those of Southern peas.

Oshiruko (おしるこ、お汁粉) is a sweet red bean soup with mochi or shiratama dumplings in it. This is one of the traditional soup sweets in Japan. A dish similar to oshiruko is called zenzai (ぜんざい). In the Kanto region, zenzai is rice cake poured with red bean paste.

Shiruko (汁粉), or oshiruko (お汁粉) with the honorific “o” (お), is a traditional Japanese dessert. It is a sweet porridge of azuki beans boiled and crushed, served in a bowl with mochi. There are different styles of shiruko, such as shiruko with chestnuts, or with glutinous rice flour dumplings instead of mochi.

'Anko' is a sweet paste or jam made from boiled Japanese red beans called 'Azuki beans,' water, and sugar. It is a common ingredient used in Japanese cuisine, especially for making traditional Japanese sweets.