红豆沙 (red bean paste)

Ingredients

• 300 g dried adzuki beans (see Tips)
• 1000 g water, plus extra for soaking
• 1 pandan leaf (see Tips)
• 200 - 250 g white sugar, to taste

Preparation

1. Place a large bowl onto mixing bowl lid and weigh beans into it. Cover with water and set aside to soak overnight.
2. Using simmering basket, drain beans. Place water into mixing bowl, then insert simmering basket with beans. Add pandan leaf to simmering basket, then cook 40 min/100°C/speed 2 or until beans are soft. Remove simmering basket with aid of spatula, discard pandan leaf and set beans aside. Carefully transfer cooking liquid into a jug and set aside.
3. Place reserved beans, sugar and 100 g of the reserved cooking liquid into mixing bowl and blend 1 min/speed 4-9, increasing speed gradually from speed 4 to speed 9, then cook 10 min/100°C/speed 3.
4. Transfer into a sealable container and allow to cool completely, then place into refrigerator overnight. Serve as desired (see Tips).

Hints & Tips

• You can find dried adzuki beans and pandan leaves at most Asian food stores.
• Dou sha can be stored in a sealable container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
• Use dou sha as a filling in Mantou buns, spread over pancakes or toast, or stirred through ice cream (such as the Red bean ice cream recipe on Cookidoo®).