Singapore might be in Phase 2 of safe re-opening, but travelling overseas is still out of the question for now.
And for those of us who—like me—had travel plans, it must be doubly disappointing. Well, if we can’t scratch that #wanderlust itch, we can at least bring our favourite cuisine to our doorsteps.
I find that the dorayaki is one of those underrated Japanese dishes—I mean, when was the last time you tried a good, fluffy dorayaki?
For those who don’t know what a dorayaki is, this Japanese confection is a pancake-sandwich, with sweet red bean paste filling. And to bring back some childhood nostalgia, it’s the favourite snack of Doraemon!
So, if you miss travelling and wholesome Japanese confectionery, today’s recipe is perfect for you. Let’s make DIY Japanese Dorayaki With Red Bean Paste together!
Ingredients
- 160g plain flour
- 4 eggs
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp honey
- 120g white sugar
- 200g red beans
- 180g brown sugar
- A pinch of salt
- Water
Tools
- Pot
- Whisk
- Mixing bowl
- Frying pan
- Spatula
- Sieve
Recipe Preparation
Preparation time: 1 hour; Cooking time: 10 minutes
Feeds four
- To make red bean paste, rinse red beans and add them to a large pot.
- Add water till 1 inch (1.54cm) above the red beans, and boil on medium heat.
- Once boiled, discard the water and add water to 1 inch above the beans.
- Boil on medium-high heat for 1 hour, then drain with a sieve.
- Mix in sugar with the boiled red beans, stirring constantly.
- Add in a pinch of salt. Let the moisture evaporate.
- Transfer to a baking sheet and let it cool.
- Whisk together the eggs, sugar and honey.
- Add in the flour and baking powder.
- Whisk until smooth.
- Put mixture into the fridge and let it rest for about 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, take the mixture out.
- Add 2 tablespoons of water and whisk again.
- Heat the mixture in a pan.
- Immediately flip the dorayaki once it starts bubbling, about 1 minute and 15 seconds on the first side, and 20 seconds on the other.
- Add in the red bean paste as filling, and serve.
Recipe in Pictures
Step 1: To make the red bean paste filling, rinse red beans and add them to a large pot.
Step 2: Add water till 1 inch (1.54cm) above the red beans, and boil on medium heat.
Step 3: Once the red beans are boiled, discard the water and add water to 1 inch above the beans.
Step 4: Boil on medium-high heat for 1 hour, then drain with a sieve. Check that the beans are sufficiently mashed, by picking one up and pinching it with your fingers.
Step 5: Mix in sugar with the red bean paste, stirring constantly.
Step 6: Add in a pinch of salt. Let the moisture evaporate, until you can use the spatula to draw a clear line on the bottom of the pot.
Step 7: Transfer to a baking sheet and let the red bean paste cool.
Step 8: Whisk together the eggs, sugar and honey.
Step 9: Add in the flour and baking powder.
Step 10: Whisk until smooth.
Step 11: Put the mixture into the fridge and let it rest for about 15 minutes.
Step 12: After 15 minutes, take the mixture out. Add 2 tablespoons of water and whisk again.
Step 13: Heat the mixture in a pan.
Step 14: Immediately flip the dorayaki once it starts bubbling, about 1 minute and 15 seconds on the first side, and 20 seconds on the other.
Step 15: Add in the red bean paste as filling, and serve.
This may seem like a lot of steps, but rest assured, it’s simple enough. Most of the preparation time is waiting for the red bean paste to cook, anyway.
While it may seem somewhat counter-intuitive not to add any oil or butter to the pan before cooking, it’s crucial to get that perfectly smooth golden-brown surface. Just keep the heat low, and you won’t burn your dorayaki. Pro tip: just before you flip the dorayaki—if you’re likely to fumble the flipping and spend a while trying to scoop up the dorayaki—lift your pan off the heat.
One of my favourite things about homemade bakes is that you get to decide how much filling you want to put in each piece. Feel free to stuff your dorayaki full of red bean paste, though you’ll want to make sure it can still “close” without too much filling leaking out!
When you’re making the red bean paste, you can adjust the amount of sugar used, depending on your preference for sweetness. You can even experiment with the filling—what about a mix of red bean paste and chocolate spread? Or shake things up and use matcha filling instead?
Whatever you choose for the filling, it’s sure to be a simple yet yummy snack. Try your hand at this DIY Japanese Dorayaki recipe, and let us know how it goes!
Expected Damage: S$4 – S$5 per portion (feeds 4 pax)
