This episode features Anko or red bean paste. It comes in a range of varieties. We focus on the delicate process for Tsubuan, in which the beans are lightly mashed to retain shape and skin. Another type is Koshian, which refers to beans which have been sieved into a smooth paste. We look at a 120-year-old confectionery establishment in Kyoto Prefecture where this process is still painstakingly done by hand, resulting in a refined paste likened to light snow. And we also look at the inspiration behind a five-colored bean paste. A novel variety of sweets incorporating bean paste imaginatively created by a former textile designer will also be featured, along with the story behind Ichigo-daifuku, a sweet which incorporates both bean paste and strawberries.
