Homemade Red Bean Paste (Hong Dou Sha, 红豆沙)

Method6 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Soak 200 g dry adzuki beans in plenty of water overnight in the refrigerator. Drain and rinse them. Choose either the stovetop route in steps 2–3 or the pressure-cooker route in step 4 before you start cooking; use only the chosen cooking route.

   Uses 200 g dry adzuki beans · Water to soak and rinse the beans

   
2. 2

   Step 2: For the stovetop route, put the drained soaked beans in a small saucepan with 500 ml water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Skip this step and step 3 if using the pressure cooker.

   Check the bean pot · 30 minUses Drained beans from step 1, for the stovetop route · 500 ml water, for the stovetop route

   
3. 3

   Step 3: Check the water level and add water if needed to keep the beans cooking without drying out. Continue simmering for another 30–60 minutes, checking tenderness after 30 minutes and continuing as needed, until a bean crushes easily between your fingers. This makes 60–90 minutes of stovetop simmering in total. Drain the cooked beans and continue at step 5.

   Check bean tenderness · 30 minUses Bean pot from step 2, for the stovetop route · Extra water only if the bean pot needs topping up

4. 4

   Step 4: For the pressure-cooker route, put the drained soaked beans in the cooker with 500 ml water, observing the cooker’s minimum liquid and safe fill requirements. Cook for 25 minutes counted from reaching high pressure, then allow a natural pressure release before opening. The beans should crush easily between your fingers. Drain them and continue at step 5. Skip the stovetop steps 2–3.

   Uses Drained beans from step 1, for the pressure-cooker route · 500 ml water, for the pressure-cooker route · Additional water only if required by the cooker’s minimum liquid level

5. 5

   Step 5: For smooth paste, blend the drained cooked beans with 2 tbsp white sugar, 2 tbsp dark brown sugar and 80 g butter until fine. Add only a little water if needed to make the blender run smoothly.

   Uses Drained soft beans from step 3, if cooked on the stovetop · Drained soft beans from step 4, if pressure-cooked · 2 tbsp white sugar · 2 tbsp dark brown sugar · 80 g butter · A little water only if needed to blend the beans

6. 6

   Step 6: Transfer the purée to a pan over medium to medium-high heat. Stir and turn it constantly until it darkens and holds its shape. Leave it slightly soft: it will firm as it cools, and softer paste suits buns while firmer paste suits mooncakes or tangyuan. Cool briefly, then refrigerate promptly in a sealed container; cool fully before using it as a filling. This makes about 500 g paste. Refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze portions for later and thaw them in the refrigerator.

   Uses All blended purée from step 5