Mizu-yokan : soft sweetened bean jelly

I got Mizu-yokan, soft sweetened bean jelly, from my relatives.
Mizu-yokan is delicious if you cooled it well in the refrigerator.
It is smooth, cold, and suitable for summer.

Mizu-yokan is made by sweet red bean paste with agar.
It is hardened like a jelly with agar.

The one with low water content is called yokan, while Mizu-yokan is a product with more water.
“Mizu (水)” means “water” in Japanese.
So, Mizu-yokan is naturally less sweet (because of more water) than Yokan.

History

I hear that Mizu-yokan was first made in the middle of the Edo period (in 1603-1868).
It is easily damaged because it contains less amount of sugar, and it was eaten as a winter sweet at that time.
Now that it can be refrigerated, it got to be a summer cold sweet.

This time, I got a packed Mizu-yokan made by Nakamuraya.
Compared to the ones sold in old-fashioned packages, it lasts longer even in the summer.

Summer in Japan is still humid.
Today’s maximum temperature in Tokyo was 33.6 ° C.
If you want to eat sweets in the summer, I recommend Mizu-yokan.
It’s refreshing and delicious.

【Cat’s Notes】

agar

寒天（かんてん）