agar, peas, dumplings & fruit with syrup

ingredients:

• 3 1/2 ounces strawberries
• 1 banana
• 1 ounce aka-endomame
• or red marrowfat peas
• 2 cups water for boiling peas
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons agar powder
• 1 cup water

shiratama (dumplings):

• 1 1/3 ounces rice flour
• 1/6 cup water
• 4 cups water for boiling dumplings

kuromitsu (brown syrup):

• 2 ounces kokuto (muscovado) or molasses
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup water

step 1:

Rinse the peas. Pour the 2 cups water into a pan. Add the peas and soak overnight.

step 2:

Add the salt and cover the pan. Bring the water to a boil on medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and boil for about 10 minutes until the peas become soft. Drain the peas in a colander.

step 3:

Make the kuromitsu (brown syrup). Simmer the kokuto (muscovado) or molasses, granulated sugar and water in a sauce pan and sometimes stir for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

step 4:

Cut the strawberries into half. Peel the banana and slice.

step 5:

Put the 1 cup water and agar into a pan. Mix and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and pour into a container. Chill for 4 hours in the refrigerator.

step 6:

Remove from the refrigerator and cut into bite-size pieces.

step 7:

Make the shiratama (dumplings). Put the rice flour in a bowl and little by little mix in the 1/6 cup water. Form into 8 (1-in) dumplings.

step 8:

Pour the 4 cups of water into a pan. Bring to a boil and add the dumplings. When they float back up to the top of the pan, continue boiling them for 1 minute.

step 9:

Remove the dumplings from the pan and place into a bowl of cold water for a few minutes. Remove from the water.

step 10:

Serve the agar, peas, dumplings, strawberries and banana in 4 small serving bowls. Pour the kuromitsu (brown syrup) over them.