Matcha Zenzai

"Zenzai" is a traditional Japanese dessert. It is a thick sweet soup consists of boiled azuki beans and loved by Japanese people, especially in winter time. We made Zenzai based on Matcha sweet soup and added sweet azuki beans as topping.

Ingredients for one serving:
- 2 teaspoons of Matcha Tea
- 2 teaspoons of sugar
- 120ml of hot water
- 2 tablespoons of Sweet Azuki
- 5 to 6 Shiratama balls (approx. 2cm)

Preparation:
1. Boil water and cool slightly.
2. Put 2 teaspoons of Matcha tea in a bowl.
3. Add 2 teaspoons of sugar.
4. Add 120ml of hot water and mix with bamboo whisk (or a spoon).
5. Add Shiratama balls*
6. Add sweet Azuki **

*To prepare round mochi (Shiratama):
- 100 g glutinous rice flour
- A tablespoon of powedered sugar
- Water to add to mochis
- Water for boiling mochis
- Water for cooling mochis
1. Put glutinous rice flour in a bowl.
2. Add a tablespoon of powdered sugar.
3. Add water slowly until the dough becomes as soft as earlobes.
4. Make small oval-shaped dumplings.
5. Boil water in a pan and add the dumplings. Boil the dumplings until they float.
6. Remove the dumplings and cool in cold water.

**To prepare sweet Azuki (you can also buy cooked Azuki):
- 100 grams of Azuki beans
- Water for boiling Azuki
- 3 tablespoons of sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
1. Soak azuki beans in a pot with water (8 times amount of Azuki) for 4 hours.
2. Boil it for 1 hour on low heat.
3. Add sugar and continue boiling until beans become soft enough.
4. Add salt and continue boiling a few minuts more.
5. Turn off heat and leave at room temperature.