Pop Japan

Youkan is a kind of jelly-based Japanese dessert. It is usually made of the ever famous sweet Japanese red bean paste, agar and some sugar. A variety of this food is the mizu youkan, wherein the jelly is made with more water than usual. Mizu is actually the Japanese word for "water." There is also another variation wherein instead of red bean paste, the dessert-makers use white kidney bean paste. This type is a bit milkier and with a milder taste than the red bean paste youkan.

Some are more creative and use other ingredients like green tea. Some put chestnuts, persimmon, azuki beans, sweet potato and any sweet that your heart desires.

Photo by Danny Wilde. Licensed under Creative Commons. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en)

Tags: food, youkan, jelly based japanese dessert, red bean past, agar, sugar, mizu youkan, white kidney bean paste, green tea, azuki beans, persimmon, chestnutes, sweet potato