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Yokan is a Japanese sweet made from agar, sugar, arrowroot powder, water, and adzuki bean paste. It ends up something like Turkish Delight. Sometimes additional flavourings such as fruit or chestnuts are added. Westerners tend to prefer these, finding that for them the plain ones have no taste.
You can buy it in Japan ready-made, sold in pieces packaged in plastic bags.
It's not always just sold solid, though: it sometimes can be bought in a liquidy form in a snack-sized can that comes with its own spoon for eating straight out of the can.
A Chinese version, called Pea Jelly, is made with split peas.
Cha Yokan (aka Matcha Yokan)
Yokan flavoured with matcha powdered green tea.
Kuri Yokan
Yokan with pieces of steamed chestnuts (marrons) in it.
Yoru no Ume
Yokan made from paste from Dainagon Beans (a premium variety of Adzuki beans).
Imo Yokan
Made from sweet potatoes instead of bean paste.
Cooking Tips
To make at home, you soak the agar-agar in water for half an hour, tear it into small pieces, then simmer until it has dissolved, then strain. You then add sugar and bean paste to the water, simmer for about 5 minutes, remove from heat, let cool and pour into a tray or mould. You then set it aside to let it firm up. It is cut into squares to serve.
Storage
Store indefinitely in refrigerator.
History
Yokan started to evolve as a dessert between 1600 and the mid 1800s (the Edo period), as sugar slowly became available to more cooks.
Also called:  Muzu Yokan Youkan (Italian)
See Also
Adzuki Beans
Other entries for Wagashi
Yokan, Yukimi Daifuku
Other entries for Desserts
Aboukir Almonds, Angel Delight, Applesauce, Bananas Foster, Bangbelly, Belgian Waffles, Bhapa Doi, Bizcocho Borracho, Blancmange, Cakes, Cassata Gelata, Cassata, Cassatelle di Ricotta, Cherries Jubilee, Chiboust Cream, Compote, Cookies, Cream Tea, Crème d'amandes, Crème Plombières, Cumberland Rum Butter, Custard, Doughnuts, Dream Topping, Dream Whip, Dutch Crunch Topping, Eton Mess, French Toast, Fürst-Pückler-Eis, Halvah, Ice Cream Cones, Marshmallows, Meringue Italienne, Meringue Powder, Meringue, Mishti Doi, Moonpies, Nanaimo Bars, Nun's Tummies, Orange à la Norvegienne, Pastry Cream, Pies & Tarts, Poor Knights of Windsor, Poutine au Pain, Poutine à Trou, Puddings, Spumoni, Syllabub, Timbale Brillat-Savarin, Tiramisù, Tortoni, Trifle, Vark, Waffles, Warabi Mochi, Zuccotto
Other entries for Dishes
Dumplings, Ozoni, Salads, Savoury Dishes, Zoni
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