Dorayaki (Japanese Pancakes)
Anyone who has been to Japan is probably still dreaming about Dorayaki and the famous red bean paste. During this lockdown period, we, like many others started to really miss travelling and discovering new places and tastes and we especially missed the time we spent in Japan. Walking around the coop aisles we discovered the Karma Azuki beans and decided that we would recreate the delicious Dorayaki we had in Japan.
In the end the receipe turned out delicious and we have been making Dorayaki a couple of times a month ever since.
Dorayaki is a typical Japanese dessert you can find either as street food, in restaurants or pre-packaged - everyone eats it all the time! The Azuki beans are sweet but not too sweet which makes it a perfect mix of flavours.
Check out our Q&A section in the end for more information regarding the recipe
Prep Time: 20 Min (extra 50 Min to make the red bean paste)
Cooking Time: 10 Min
Ingredients (around 6 Dorayaki):
Flour - 160g
Sugar - 140g
Eggs - 4
Honey - 2 Tb
Water
Baking powder (1 tablespoon) - 10g
Vegetable oil (for the pan)
For the red bean paste:
Canned Azuki beans - 300g (buy here)
Sugar - 150g
Water
How to:
Start by making the Azuki bean paste. You can use dry Azuki beans we decided to buy canned Azuki beans as it is faster and the Karma Coop beans are very good. If you decide to use dry beans you’ll just need to soak them in water overnight before proceeding with the next steps.
Rinse the beans under cold water and drain.
In a cooking pot boil at medium power the beans (approx 1l water) for 10min.
Rinse the beans again under cold water. Boil the beans again in clean water at medium heat (approx 1l water) for 10 more minutes.
Repeat the action, rinse the beans and boil again in clean water until the beans are soft (You should be able to crush the beans with no effort). It should take 25min.
Remove the water and add the sugar. Cook at medium power, stirring constantly, until the sugar melts and the beans form a shiny paste. It will take about 10 minutes. Put aside.
In a bowl mix the 4 eggs, 140g of sugar and 2 tablespoons of honey. You should get a fluffy mixture.
Add the flour and the baking powder and mix until all ingredients merge into a soft texture. Let it rest in the fridge for 10 minutes
Add 1 tablespoon of water (can be 2 depending on measurements of the ingredients).
Heat a non-stick pan at medium-low heat. When the pan is hot, dip a kitchen paper in a bit of vegetable oil and grease the pan, making sure you remove all the oil. Pour the pancake mixture in the centre of the pan (10cm diameter approx). It will take 2 minutes to cook, then turn to cook the other side for 0,5 - 1 minute. The time may be different depending on the temperature of the pan but the result should be a golden pancake. Repeat with the rest of the mixture.
Time to assemble, take the red bean paste you made earlier and spread it on one of the pancakes, then add another pancake on top - forming a sort of sandwitch.
Enjoy :)
Q&A
1) Do I need a special pan to make Dorayaki?
No a normal pan is perfectly fine
2) Can I use anything to substitute Azuki beans?
There is unfortunately no good substitute when making savory dishes. You can always use marmalade or an almond/peanut paste but it will not taste the same
3) Are Azuki beans vegan?
Yes the Azuki beans are vegan. You can also make a vegan option by avoiding using eggs in the pancake mix and instead using soy milk.
4) How long can I keep them in the fridge?
No longer than 2 days. You can keep the paste for longer (4 days max)
5) How many calories does a Dorayaki have?
A typical Dorayaki (of course it depends on the size) has around 150-200 calories