Chinese Sweet Red Bean Paste (Hong Dou Sha)
Silky, glossy adzuki bean paste sweetened with sugar and enriched with a little oil, with a faint citrus note from dried tangerine peel. Serve it as a sweet side with steamed buns, spoon it over shaved ice, or use it as a filling.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 38 min
- Wait
- 8 hr 30 min
- Total
- 10 hr 28 min
- Makes
- About 3 cups (750 g) paste, 12 servings of ¼ cup
Steps
Before you start
- Start the night before: the beans need an 8-hour soak (up to 12 hours).
- Use a large, heavy nonstick pot or wide skillet for the final cooking step; the paste splatters and scorches easily in thin pans.
- The paste looks looser than you expect when hot and firms up a lot as it cools, so judge thickness using the cues in the recipe.
- Have a high-powered or standard blender ready; a food processor works but gives a grainier paste.
Soak the beans
- Rinse the adzuki beans in a colander under cold running water, discarding any stones or shriveled beans.
- Put them in a large bowl with the soaking water (1,500 ml / 6 cups).
- Cover and soak at room temperature for 8 hours or overnight.
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Ready when: Beans are plump, about double in size, and no longer hard when pressed
Tip: In a hot kitchen, soak in the fridge to prevent fermenting.
Simmer until very soft
- Drain and discard the soaking water.
- Put the beans in a 4- to 5-quart pot with the fresh simmering water (1,500 ml / 6 cups) and the soaked tangerine peel, if using.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, skim off any foam, then reduce to low, partially cover, and simmer gently for 60 to 70 minutes.
- Top up with hot water if the level drops below the beans.
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Ready when: A bean crushes to a smooth paste with no resistance when pressed between two fingers, and many skins have split
Tip: Do not add the sugar yet; it toughens bean skins and keeps them from softening.
Drain and blend
- Set a sieve over a bowl and drain the beans, saving the cooking liquid.
- Discard the tangerine peel.
- Blend the beans in 2 batches with about 250 ml (1 cup) of the reserved liquid total, adding it a few tablespoons at a time, for 1 to 2 minutes per batch until a thick, completely smooth puree forms.
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Ready when: Puree is smooth and thick like hummus, with no visible bean pieces
Tip: Use as little liquid as possible; extra water just means more cooking time later.
Strain for silkiness
- For a very smooth paste, press the puree through a fine-mesh sieve in batches with the back of a spatula, scraping the underside of the sieve into the bowl.
- Discard the skins left behind.
- Skip this step for a rustic, slightly textured paste.
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Ready when: Only dry, coarse skins remain in the sieve
Tip: Scrape the paste from the underside of the sieve; much of it clings there.
Dissolve the sugar
- Scrape the puree into a 12-inch nonstick skillet or wide nonstick pot.
- Add the sugar and salt.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a silicone spatula, for 6 to 8 minutes until the sugar dissolves and the mixture loosens and bubbles.
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Ready when: No sugar granules are felt when you rub a little between your fingers (after cooling a spoonful), and the paste bubbles lazily
Tip: Hot paste spits; stir with a long spatula and lower the heat if it splatters.
Stir in oil and reduce
- Reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Stir in one-third of the oil (20 ml / 4 tsp) and cook, stirring and scraping the bottom constantly, for 5 minutes until absorbed.
- Repeat with a second third of the oil for 5 minutes, then the last third for 5 to 8 minutes.
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Ready when: Paste is glossy and thick, pulls away from the pan sides, and a spatula drawn across the bottom leaves a clear trail that closes slowly; a spoonful holds a soft mound
Tip: Never stop stirring near the end; the sugar can scorch quickly once the paste is thick.
Cool the paste
- Spread the hot paste into a shallow dish or large plate in an even layer about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick.
- Let it cool uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring once or twice, until just warm.
- It will firm up considerably as it cools.
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Ready when: Paste is thick, smooth, and holds its shape when scooped
Tip: If it is too stiff after chilling, stir in 1 to 2 teaspoons of hot water to loosen.
Good to know
Tips
- Add sugar only after the beans are fully soft; sugar in the simmering water leaves them gritty.
- Constant stirring in the final stage is the key to a glossy paste that doesn't scorch.
- Reduce the sugar to 150 g (¾ cup) for a less sweet side, but expect a slightly shorter shelf life.
- Make a double batch and freeze in flat portions for quick use in buns, mochi, or desserts.
Make ahead
"The paste can be made up to 5 days ahead and kept refrigerated, or frozen for up to 3 months. Soaked beans can also be drained and refrigerated up to 24 hours before cooking."
Storage & reheating
"Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: airtight container up to 5 days, with plastic wrap pressed on the surface. Freezer: up to 3 months in portions; thaw overnight in the fridge. To serve warm, microwave in 20-second bursts or warm in a small pan over low heat with a splash of water, stirring."
Substitutions
- granulated sugar → Rock sugar (crushed) or light brown sugar, same weight. Rock sugar gives a cleaner sweetness; brown sugar adds a caramel flavor and darker color.
- neutral oil such as canola or peanut oil → Melted lard or unsalted butter, same amount. Lard is traditional and very silky; butter gives a richer, less authentic flavor.
- dried tangerine peel (chenpi) → Strip of fresh orange zest, about 2 inches (5 cm), no white pith. Adds a similar citrus aroma; remove it before blending.
- dried adzuki beans → Canned sweetened-free adzuki beans, about 4 cans (15 oz / 425 g each), drained. Skip the soaking and simmering; start at the blending step, using water in place of the cooking liquid.