Japanese Food Tips

Yokan, which is made with red beans, sugar, agar and water, is a Japanese traditional sweet. “Mizu” means water, and mizu yokan is made from the same foodstuffs as yokan, but because the proportion of water in mizu yokan is higher than in yokan, it is softer. Mizu yokan was first made around the 18th century, and was eaten in the winter at that time. However, in recent years, as refrigeration technology has evolved, mizu yokan can be cooled and eaten in summer. Now, mizu yokan has become a standard summer sweet in Japan. It is sold mainly as cuboid or cup-shaped. Cuboid mizu yokan is cut before it is served, whereas cup-shaped mizu yokan comes as a single serving. Mizu yokan is moderately sweet and the texture is smooth. Although we do not have a recipe for mizu yokan, if you would like to try regular yokan, please check out our recipe for that on our website.