Mizu Yokan is the refreshing summer variant of the classic Yokan (羊羹), a traditional Japanese dessert (wagashi) in block form, made from red bean paste Azuki (Anko), sugar, and Agar Agar (Kanten).
Unlike the solid and dense version, ‘Mizu’ (water) is distinguished by its high water content, giving it a gelatinous, velvety texture and less sugar usage.
Originating in the Edo period (1603-1868), Mizu Yokan was originally a traditional winter holiday sweet. Only in modern times, thanks to refrigerated storage, did it become a symbol of Japanese summer.
Its preparation is based on the expertise in handling the Azuki bean, considered in Japan as an ingredient with purifying powers.
In this recipe, tradition meets innovation.
The secret of an excellent Mizu Yokan lies in Shibunuki (渋抜き), the process of repeated boiling of the beans. This artisanal technique is essential for removing tannins and bitterness, ensuring a clean taste and a bright ruby red color, enhancing the purity of homemade Anko.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Rest time: 2 Hours
- Preparation time: 2 Minutes
- Portions: 6 People
- Cooking methods: Boiling
- Cuisine: Japanese
- Seasonality: All Seasons
Ingredients
- 7.05 oz anko (or see below)
- 0.11 oz agar agar
- 1.06 cup water
- 1 pinch salt
Tools
- 1 Mold rectangular 6×4
Steps
If you don’t use ready-made anko: soak 250 g of azuki beans for 12 hours, boil them for 10 minutes with a glass of water and repeat twice. Drain them. Repeat two more times, then add 1 liter of water and 250 g of sugar and cook for two hours, making sure the mixture doesn’t dry out; add more water if necessary. Mash to make the mixture creamy.
Dissolve the Agar Agar: In a cold saucepan, mix the water with the agar agar powder. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
Cook: Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 2 minutes to fully activate the gelling agent.
Add the Anko: Add the sugar and anko. Mix well until the mixture is smooth and free of lumps. Add the pinch of salt at the end.
Cool: Pour the mixture into a rectangular mold (previously moistened with water to facilitate extraction). Let it cool to room temperature, then place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Serve: Cut into thick bricks and serve cold, accompanied by matcha tea.
Served with a Leaf
Traditionally, Mizu Yokan is served on or wrapped in a cherry blossom leaf (Sakura no ha) or, even more commonly for the summer version, a bamboo leaf (Sasa).
Why it is used:
Aroma: The leaf (especially the pickled cherry blossom leaf) imparts a delicate and slightly salty fragrance, perfectly contrasting with the sweetness of the azuki.
Aesthetic: The green leaf enhances the dark and shiny color of the Yokan, evoking the freshness of nature.
Practicality: It helps prevent the sweet from sticking to the plate or hands.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
How many variants of yokan exist?
Although often referring to three main types, the world of Yōkan is much broader and diverse, with technical macro-categories based on production method:
The 3 ‘Mother’ Technical Categories
Neri Yōkan (練り羊羹): The dense and firm version, cooked for a long time while stirring continuously. It has the longest shelf life.
Mizu Yōkan (水羊羹): More water, less agar-agar, silky and refreshing texture.
Mushi Yōkan (蒸し羊羹): The steamed variant. Unlike the others, it doesn’t use agar-agar but wheat or arrowroot flour (kudzu) as a thickener, resulting in a more elastic and less ‘gelatinous’ texture.
Besides the technique, Yōkan changes name depending on what’s inside:
Ogura Yōkan: Contains whole azuki beans cooked in sugar mixed with smooth paste.
Kuri Yōkan: The autumn version with pieces of chestnuts.
Imo Yōkan: Made with sweet potatoes instead of azuki (a specialty typical of Tokyo).
Shiro Yōkan: Based on white beans, often used as a ‘canvas’ to add flavors such as matcha, yuzu, or coffee.
Shio Yōkan: A slightly salty version that enhances the contrast with sugar.
The ‘Artistic’ Yōkan
Then, there are creative Yōkan (like those from the famous pastry shops Toraya or Nagato-ya), where layers of different colors and transparencies create landscapes, flowers, or seasonal scenes visible only when you cut a slice.For Mizu Yokan, is it better to mix the anko with sugar or not?
If you want a Mizu Yokan that is perfectly smooth and velvety (Koshian style), you shouldn’t mix it with sugar until it becomes a thick jam.
Why it matters: If you mix it excessively, making it very firm (like the filling for mochi), you’ll struggle to dissolve it perfectly in the liquid with agar agar, risking lumps in the final sweet.
The secret of Mizu Yokan: For this ‘watery’ version, the Anko should still be slightly soft. Once ready, you’ll combine it with the water and agar agar solution on the stove; at that point, the two parts will blend into a smooth mixture that will then solidify.
When to mix: The mixing process (cooking until you see the bottom of the pan) is used to create Tsubuan, the dense bean jam for spreading or for Dorayaki.Yokan visually resembles dhodhol, but what are the differences?
Dodol (or Dhodhol) is a typical Southeast Asian sweet (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines), and it is profoundly different from Yokan for three fundamental technical reasons.
The Thickening Agent:
Yokan: Uses Agar Agar (seaweed), creating a firm jelly that ‘breaks’ neatly.
Dodol: Uses glutinous rice flour. This makes it extremely sticky, elastic, and chewy (similar to a thick caramel or toffee).
The Fat Content:
Yokan: It is completely fat-free. It is composed only of azuki, water, and sugar.
Dodol: Contains coconut milk, giving it a rich, fatty texture and a very intense tropical flavor.
The Cooking Process:
Yokan: Preparation is relatively quick once the anko is ready; it’s about gelling the mixture.
Dodol: Requires long cooking in large woks, stirring continuously until it becomes dark, dense, and shiny due to the caramelization of the palm sugar.
In summary: Yokan is a clean, firm, refreshing legume jelly; Dodol is a dense, elastic, and very caloric coconut rice paste.
