Why it works: Beans and sugar are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 26% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 2,587 recipes. Both carry guaiacol, which smells smoky, sweet. The science ↓
Anko
Ingredients
Directions
Parboil the beans
Put 4 cups of water in a pan and add azuki beans.
Put the pan on high heat and bring to boil.
Stop the heat and drain the water.
Simmer and sweeten
Put 6 cups of water in a pan and add the boiled azuki beans.
Put the pan on low heat and simmer the beans for an hour until soft.
Take out excess water from the pan and add sugar.
Stir the azuki on low heat for a few minutes until thick.
Stop the heat.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
-
Beans + sugartop 26% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together2,587 recipes
Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Azuki beans
- Provide the main body and flavour of the paste once cooked and mashed or softened.
- Sugar
- Adds sweetness and helps thicken the paste as it cooks down.
The step that matters
Simmering the beans until soft. Beans that are not fully softened stay firm and grainy, and the paste will not become smooth. Cooking gently on low heat for the full time lets the starch absorb water and the skins break down evenly.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
You might also like
White Cake431 recipes
Pound Cake373 recipes
Orange Bundt Cake349 recipes
Spice Cake344 recipesThe free Flavor Lab newsletter: one surprising pairing a week and the molecular reason it works, in 60 seconds. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Prefer an account? Create a free account to save pairings and unlock the full chemistry.