Sunday, December 8, 2013

Smooth & Silky Red Bean Paste

08.12.2013 - Nongsa Village Resort, Batam.  I was insane!! what am i thinking in the first place. i bought a big pkt of red bean that weight over 1kg, and i insist to cook them all into red bean paste.  I didn't see that as a problem.  When the beans were soaked overnight, next morning when i saw the beans extended almost double, i was telling myself not to worry, when it cooked down a little, it will perhaps reduce the amount of the beans, but i was wrong, when the beans were cooked, it became more then i expected...LOL..i don't know to laugh or to cry....just have to do what i have to do to turn them into red bean paste....Ohh...I am just worry that i can't finish it before expire.  I know its gonna take my whole day to sieve because of the slow sieving process im using, but however, i know my paste is gonna be so good!!

You want a silky smooth red bean paste?? Yes, the secret is to Sieve the beans, batch by batch.

Finally goin through the slow process of sieving with so many breaks, cooking and taking care of my son....duh..i continue until finish which almost evening...and i've got my flour sifter both side teared off :( the caused of over loaded beans, they got to pay off my flour sifter hard work now!! lol...

To tell you the truth, sieving process is a hell alot of work!! why i do this, because i've got this recipe mentioned using sieve will get a smooth and fine result, thats what i am looking for a good paste.

I have seen another version of making red bean paste, when the beans are cooked use a hand blender to fine the beans and cook up and the work is done so fast and easy.  So if you find this recipe a lot of work especially the sieving part, you can go ahead, use a hand blender to do without wasting your time to sieve, Sure it will taste just fine.

For my Red Bean Paste result is silky smooth and so fine! You cant even bite a piece of red bean skin on it.  With a weight in a totally of 1.2kg of red beans, i managed to turn that into a total of 3.1kg red bean paste and a damage flour sifter!

Now i can make so many buns and asian pastry with red bean paste! Yihaa!!

took me ages to finish but the result is rewarding!! 

Ingredients:
600g red beans ( my redbean weight about 1200g, when it was cooked, the weight goes up to 3100g in total. I split into two bowls, cook separately even during the last step of cooking process which adding in the sugar, oil and flour )  
2 tbsp salt (for soaking beans) ( 2tbsp + 1/2tsp )
220g caster sugar (220g + 1/3 cup sugar for 600g redbean ) add to your desire sweetness
120ml vegetable oil
3½ tbsp wheat starch ( i used wheat flour, i don't have starch available, but came out perfect too )

Methods: 
1. Rinse red beans well. Add 2 tablespoons salt into water and soak the beans at least 2 hours.

2. Drain away the salt water. Put the beans into a container. Fill with fresh water and make sure the beans are fully covered. Keep in freezer for overnight.

3. The next day, remove the beans from freezer and put into pressure cooker (no need to defrost). Cover the beans with water (about double of the beans weight). Cook for 5 minutes. ( I cooked with gas stove which took longer time to cook through about an hour or so )  *do adjust accordingly. The red beans should be easy to be smashed with finger tips after cooked.

4. Drain beans out and discard excess water. Use a large spoon to press through a fine sieve. You’ll get very smooth red bean puree. ( a tiring process, but the result is rewarding ) ( Use a hand blender to blend all the beans and then do the sieving one batch gradually until all done, at this point, you must be very patience )

5. Transfer the puree into a heavy bottom wok (or pot). Add sugar and oil. Combine well. Cook over medium high heat until moisture is reduced by two-thirds, to make work easy, use a whisk to do the work.   Sift in wheat starch in batches and stir to combine well between each addition. Reduce heat to low and simmer until thickened, stirring constantly, about 15 to 20 minutes.

6. Transfer into a large bowl and let it cool down completely. You can make red bean filling one or two days ahead. Wrap it in plastic film and store in fridge.  I made 3 containers, each container about 1000g (1kg)  + 100g in total.

* The cool red bean filling will become curdle. Just knead the filling for few times and it will get back smooth again. Divide into required portions. Then shape into balls before wrap.

Happy Cooking!!

 3200g of red beans that has been cooked, waiting to sift 

 Slowly and gradually sift through red beans batch by batch...by..batch...by batch...zzzz

 Look at the difference before and after sieve

 How rough the beans are

Very Fine Red bean is ready to cook

I mix evenly with a whisk that helps which i have quite a big amount of red bean paste there.

 Beautifully cooked smooth and fine Red Bean Paste

 Taste Delicious!

 Exactly 1000g

These are all the paste.






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