Let’s Make Red Bean Pancakes:
Its flaky, crunchy crust but chewy soft center that is filled with oozing red bean paste is truly a treat that is served only on Saturday mornings for Asian children.
There are many different ways to making it, but this way is the easiest way to make it without much hassle or harassment. You don’t have to spread the red bean paste and then roll it up to make a pinwheel shape, if it is really difficult. Such a method is reserved for pros as the pancakes are prone to leaking the rich red bean paste. You can always add red bean paste in the center and then wrap it up with the dough to flatten. That is the traditional way, but I sorta hate cultural traditions…sometimes. I just don’t understand why someone who is old and has a dick deserves respect when they are a total prick anyway…..
I wouldn’t recommend making home made red bean paste, although I do have a recipe for it. It’s a waste of energy, and it’s honestly very time consuming for no reason. Just buy it already made from the Asian supermarket, it’s really cheap. There are several textures of paste available, but I would recommend the super smooth one (Koshan) or the the chunky one with some of the beans still intact (Tsuban). It is also called Anko Paste too.
Let’s Get Cooking!
More In-Depth Recipe at the Bottom
Red Bean Pancake: The Best Saturday Morning Treat
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 1.5 C Flour
- 1 Tsp Oil (More for flattening and to prevent dough from sticking)
- ½ C Water
- 9 Tbsp Red Bean Paste (Store bought works really well for this recipe)
Instructions
Procedure:
- Mix Flour, Oil and Water together into a shaggy ball, then knead into a smooth and supple dough. Cut into quarters
- Oil a cutting board and shape the dough into a ball on the oiled cutting board to coat it in oil. Use your hand to flatten it into a desired size circle. Although don’t make it too thick or too thin, as you don’t want it to leak with Red Bean Paste in the next step. The flatten dough should be as thick as a tortilla or a little bit thicker.
- Spread about 1.5-2.5 Tbsp of Red Bean Paste (you can always add more but add to your desire) on the flatten dough, roll it lengthwise to make a long log, pinch the seams together, then stretch it to make it little longer. Spiral it together to make a pinwheel shape, and flatten a little bit. Just don't flatten it too much or the red bean paste will burst from the pancake. Alternatively, add red bean paste in the middle of the dough and wrap the dough around it. Flatten the pancake. The second method is the more traditional method.
- On an oiled medium high heat pan, sear for about 3-5 minutes on both sides until golden brown and crispy.
Notes
In Depth Recipe:
Red Bean Pancake:
- In a bowl, mix together Water, Oil, and Flour together until it becomes a shaggy ball. The Water should be lukewarm, it shouldn’t be ice cold or scalding. You may need to add a touch more water depending on the humidity and the overall moisture in the environment. You may need to add a little more flour if the dough is too wet Then, knead the shaggy dough for about 2-5 minutes until it becomes a smooth dough. The dough should be very supple and pliable when it is done being kneaded. Cut into quarters.
2. Oil a cutting board and shape the one of the dough balls into a sphere while coating it in oil. The oil will make the dough easier to flatten, and it will also ensure that the crust becomes really crispy as well. Use you hands to flatten the dough ball into a pancake as thick as a tortilla or thicker if wanted. A thicker dough will make a fluffier and chewier pancake overall. But, don’t flatten the pancake too thin. That will make it easier to burst with red bean paste.
3. In the middle of the flat pancake, add in about 1.5-2 Tbsp of Red Bean paste in the middle. Don’t bother to make homemade red bean paste. It is too time consuming and a waste of money overall. Just buy it in the grocery store, it is much easier and often times more delicious as well. You can also add a lot more red bean paste in the middle if wanted, I usually add a lot but I toned it down for this recipe.
4. There are two methods to making the pancake. The first method being spreading the red bean paste evenly on the pancakes, then rolling it lengthwise into a long log. You may need to pinch together the seams as well. Then stretch it out into a longer log, and spiral it together into a pinwheel. Finally, flatten it slightly. The second method being adding a dollop of red bean paste in the middle and wrapping and pinching the dough around it. Finally, flatten it into a pancake.
5. On an oiled medium high heat pan, sear for about 3-5 minutes on both sides until golden brown and crispy.
Because this recipe makes 4 pancakes, you can always freeze the other pancakes individually and then put them in a container together into the freezer to store. Let frozen pancakes defrost a little bit and then pan fry following the instructions in the paragraph above.