Wagashi-> Jo-namagashi-> Nerikiri

和菓子-> 上生菓子-> 練りきり

Recipe by: David 金子大雅

What is nerikiri?

Nerikiri​ is a type of ​wagashi​, Japanese confectionery, and is

categorized as ​Jo-namagashi​, a name given to the more artistic and
high-quality forms of ​wagashi​.
Nerikiri ​is the product of sculpted ​nerikiri-an ​and its filling,
which is usually red bean paste (​koshian​ (こし餡 smooth paste) or ​tsubuan
(つぶ餡 rough paste)). ​Nerikiri-an ​is made from two basic ingredients:
shiro-an ​(white bean paste) and ​gyuhi ​(求肥 - soft mochi). It can also be
made with yam (山芋、大和芋、つくね芋）instead of gyuhi. The gyuhi or yam
is used as a binding agent for nerikiri-an. Using yam gives the nerikiri a
mild, yet sweet vegetable flavor. The majority of this sweet is bean paste,
which melts in the mouth due to the existence of the bean particle.
This confection is used to express the beauty of nature through a
variety of colors and designs. Oftentimes, the design of nerikiri is
associated with a certain time, season, or part of nature. Nerikiri is
eaten during the Japanese tea ceremony (日本茶道), but most people eat it
as a general confectionery.

Ingredients Part One:

● Shiro-an (白あん) - 200 grams

○ White beans (Shiro ingen mame 白いんげん豆) - 150 grams
■ Not all white beans are suitable for shiro-an. Shiro
ingen mame have a more deep and rich taste.
■ What kind of bean should I use?
● The answer depends on what you are making with the
shiroan. The larger the bean, the more deep and
rich the taste is. Larger beans like Shirohana mame
are more suitable for fillings and baked wagashi.
Smaller beans are more bland in flavor and have a
smoother and finer texture. These are used to make
Jo-namagashi, which includes what we are making in
this recipe, nerikiri.
■ Shirohana mame (​白花豆)
● Substitute: Lima/Butter beans
● Description: A large white bean with a sweet,
buttery flavor and solid texture
 ■ Oofuku mame (​大福豆)
● Substitute: Great northern beans, white kidney
beans (AKA Cannellini beans), or navy beans
● Description: A small, white, kidney-shaped bean
with a smoother texture often used in the world of
wagashi, including high-grade shiro-an.
■ Tebo mame (​手亡豆)
● Substitute: Great northern beans, white kidney
beans (AKA Cannellini beans), navy beans
● Description: A small, white bean rich in starch
with a refreshing taste. In Japan, these beans are
used exclusively for shiro-an.
○ White, granulated sugar - 112.5-150 grams
■ Do not use sugar that has color, because we are making
white​ bean paste.
○ The ratio of beans to sugar is generally 1:1
■ You can reduce the amount of sugar, but if you do not put
enough sugar in, there will not be enough moisture for
the bean paste, and the texture will be off. Wagashi is
usually eaten with matcha (green tea), and is supposed to
be sweet to complement the bitter taste of the tea. I
would say add no less than 75% (3:4) sugar to the beans.

Ingredients Part Two: Making Nerikiri-an (Two types)

Type 1 - (using gyuhi); 3-5 Ingredients - Stovetop method:

● Shiro-an (recipe above) - 200 grams

● Water - 30 milliliters
○ Description: H₂0 :)
○ The ratio of shiro-an to water ( in grams)is 200:30.
■ This means that you add 15 milliliters of water for every
100 grams of shiro-an.
● Shiratamako (白玉粉) - 3 grams
○ Description: A sweet, glutinous, coarse-grain rice flour made
from mochi-gome (もち米), which is a short grain glutinous
Japanese rice. Shiratamako gives off a chewy, elastic, and soft
texture.
○ Substitute: Mochiko (もち粉), glutinous rice flour
○ The ratio of shiro-an to shiratamako (in grams) is 200:3.
 ■ This means that you add 1.5 grams of shiratamako for
every 100 grams of shiro-an.
Type 3 - (using gyuhi); 3-5 ingredients - Microwave method:

● Shiro-an (recipe above) - 200 grams

● Gyuhi
○ Water - 20 milliliters
■ Description: H₂0 :)
■ The ratio of shiro-an to water (in grams)is 10:1.
● This means that you add 10 milliliters of water for
every 100 grams of shiro-an.
○ Shiratamako (白玉粉) - 10 grams
■ Description: A sweet, glutinous, coarse-grain rice flour
made from mochi-gome (もち米), which is a short grain
glutinous Japanese rice. Shiratamako gives off an elastic
and soft texture.
■ Substitute: Mochiko (もち粉), glutinous rice flour
■ The ratio of shiro-an to shiratamako ( in grams) is 20:1.
● This means that you add 5 grams of shiratamako for
every 100 grams of shiro-an.

Type 2 - (using yam); 3-4 Ingredients:

● Shiro-an (recipe above) - 200 grams

● White granulated sugar - 20 grams
○ The ratio of sugar to shiro-an is 1:10.
● Japanese yam - 66.67 grams
○ The ratio of yam to shiro-an is 1:3.
○ Yama-imo
■ Description: A type of white Japanese mountain yam known
for its sticky and slimy texture when grated. It is often
used in okonomiyaki.
○ Yamato-imo
■ Description: A white, club-shaped Japanese yam.
○ Tsukune-imo (つくね芋)
■ Description: A round-shaped yam known for its lower
moisture content and strong stickiness.
○ Substitute: Naga-imo (長芋) or Chinese yam
 Making the shiro-an:

1) Pour 150 grams of white beans into a large bowl and remove the beans
that are either defective, too dirty, or have been eaten by insects.
Transfer the beans to a strainer and wash them under the faucet.
After cleaning the beans, soak the beans in plenty of fresh, clean,
water for several hours (8-12). The time it takes for the beans to
soak depends on the weather. It may take longer during the winter.
You must soak them as much as possible, unless the finished product
will become brown and untasty. Do not over-soak them (for days),
unless they will begin to ferment. Avoid direct sunlight or heat.
2) Once the beans have been soaked, peel off the skins of all the beans.
Keep the beans in the water for convenience. Larger beans are easier
to peel, so if you have never made bean paste, I highly recommend you
use those first. If the beans you are using are small, you can rub
them against your hands to remove the skin in water, and remove the
skins that float on the surface of the water.
a) You may skip this step if it is too tedious, but it will make
the bean filtering and processing easier and more effective.
You can filter the bean skins at this step, or take them out
while pureeing them through a strainer later.
3) Shibukiri (渋切り): Transfer the beans into a pot and add enough
water so that it just covers the beans to prevent the beans from
moving around too much and breaking up. Heat the beans and water over
a medium-high heat, and once it begins to boil, strain the beans and
discard the water. Put the beans back in the pot, change the water,
and repeat the shibukiri process 1-2 more times (so 1-3 times total).
a) Doing this will remove the bitterness from the beans. How much
you repeat this process determines the taste of the finished
product. The more you do it, the more mild and bland the beany
flavor will turn out. Nerikiri should have a mild bean flavor.
4) Put the beans back into the pot and cover the beans with just enough
water like before. Let the beans simmer over low heat for 1-2 hours.
Do not expose the beans to heat that is too strong, unless it will
boil, overcook, overflow, or make them loose shape. There should just
be small bubbles rising from the sides of the pot. Leave the beans
with a lid, slightly open and ajar.
a) Constantly check on the beans while they are simmering and
remove any foam on the surface of the water. If the water is
too low and exposes some of the beans, add more water to the
pot.
 i) Removing the foam from the beans helps make the paste
whiter.
b) Check if the beans are ready by taking one out, cooling it
down, and then squeezing it between your fingers. When cooked,
the beans should have a slight transparency when squished. If
it is very soft and tender, it is ready for filtering and
processing.
c) You can relax during this step, but don’t get too relaxed,
unless it may overcook!
5) Once the beans have finished cooking, prepare a fine-mesh flour sieve
over a large bowl to collect the filtered bean paste. Strain the
beans and reserve the water from the cooking. If you do not have a
flour sieve, any strainer will work, but the flat surface of the
flour sieve will help ease the process. The finer the sieve, the more
fine and smooth the result will be. Pass the cooked beans through the
sieve, and add the water from when you cooked the beans, if needed,
to help the beans pass more easily. If you run out of that water, use
clean water instead. Try not to force the material through the mesh,
as we want to filter out what we do not want. Repeat this process 1-3
times to filter out any hard material, skin, or impurities. While you
are filtering the beans, you are at the same time smoothening it out
into small, soft particles.
a) You can also go through this process starting from a less-fine
sieve to a more-fine sieve.
b) The finished product is a collection of soft bean mash,
composed of very small bean particles.
i) If you use water in the process, the result will be a
white, cloudy solution.
6) Fill clean water to the strained bean mash in a large, clear bowl. If
you already added water to the bean mash the step before, do not add
more water. Mix the beans and water together and let the bean
particles settle to the bottom of the bowl for 10-30 minutes and pour
out all of the water sitting above it. Try not to spill the beans. :)
a) Do this process 3-4 times.
b) The water should appear clean on top of bean mash after
repeating the process.
7) After cleaning the bean particles one last time, pour the mixture
into a cloth over a bowl. Make sure that the beans will not be able
to pass the cloth. Squeeze as much water as you can out of the cloth
and you should have a nice and soft pile of processed white beans.
a) This is called nama-an (生餡) in Japanese.
8) Measure out the nama-an on a scale and determine its weight. The
amount of sugar you will use depends on the weight of the nama-an.
Use the ratios provided above to calculate how much sugar you will
need for cooking the shiro-an. Reminder: Sugar is 75% to 100% of the
weight of the beans (nama-an).
9) Combine both the sugar and the nama-an into a pot and heat it over
low-medium heat. The mixture should end up being liquidy. Constantly
stir the mixture while it is being heated for 10-20 minutes to
evaporate the water to an extent. When the mixture begins to thicken,
lower the heat. Continue stirring the mixture to prevent it from
burning. The paste is ready when you can draw a line at the bottom of
the pan. Another way to check is that if the mixture is thick enough
to stay in shape, it is ready. Test this by picking up some of the
paste and forming a mound or pile and seeing if it will retain its
shape.
a) Keep in mind that the paste will continue to evaporate more
water as it cools down, so try not to overcook it.
i) Once overcooked, the result will be a crumbly, dry
mixture.
10) Transfer all of the shiro-an onto a cooling tray into portions and
then refrigerate it in an airtight container if you are using it for
a few days. Freeze it if you are planning on using it in a few
months.

Making nerikiri-an (with gyuhi) - Method 1 (Stovetop)

1. Measure out all of the ingredients proportionally, using the ratios

given above. (Shiroan:Water:Shiratamako = 200:30:3)
2. In a small bowl, add a small amount of water to the shiratamako and
knead it. After fully combining the water and rice flour, slowly add
more water. The result is a thin, milky liquid.
3. Add the mixture to the shiroan in a pot and combine thoroughly. Heat
the ingredients over low-medium to medium heat for around 10-20
minutes. Once the mixture thickens, lower the heat. Check if it is
ready by tapping on the paste. If nothing sticks to your fingers,
stop the heat.
4. Place the finished nerikiri-an onto a damp, wringed out cloth.Knead
the nerikiri-an with the cloth several times and then break it up
into smaller pieces (3-8) and then knead them together with a cloth.
a. Repeat this process 2-5 times total.
 b. If you do not have a cloth, you can use plastic wrap or
parchment paper.
c. An alternative to this method is to pass the nerikiri-an
through a sieve and then combine them.
d. The purpose of this step is to both knead and cool down the
nerikiri-an ASAP. This makes it smoother and whiter by
including air in it.
e. Important: Understand the texture of nerikiri-an. Your finished
product should be considerably soft, moist, and somewhat
stretchy, with a mild stickiness to it. It should not crumble
when you pull it apart, but instead, stretch easily before it
breaks. If overcooked, it will crack when you mold it, and feel
dry to the touch.
f. Once the nerikiri-an is cool enough to handle comfortably, it
is ready to be used for beautiful designs!
5. Store the finished nerikiri-an in plastic wrap or in an airtight
container. Refrigerate and use within a week.

Making nerikiri-an (with gyuhi) - Method 2 (Microwave)

1. This method is quicker than on the stovetop. I do not recommend using

this method because you may accidentally overcook it if you are not
careful.
2. This method requires you to make the gyuhi separately first. Please
refer to the new ratios and amounts listed above for this method.
3. In a small bowl, add a small amount of water to the shiratamako and
knead it. After fully combining the water and rice flour, slowly add
more water. The result is a thick, milky liquid.
4. Cover the small bowl with some plastic wrap (not too tight) and heat
it for around 20-30 seconds (500W). Take it out and knead it.
a. Repeat this process for 2-3 times until it is thick and sticky.
Do not overcook it. A way to check if it is ready is by
checking its transparency. It is done if the gyuhi is slightly
transparent.
5. Heat the shiro-an for 20-30 seconds (500W) at a time and knead it.
a. Repeat this process several times until the shiro-an is
slightly dry and hot. The texture should be similar to a mashed
potato.
6. Knead the gyuhi with the shiroan and combine them homogeneously with
a rubber spatula.
7. After combining, understand the texture of nerikiri-an. Your finished
product should be considerably soft, moist, and somewhat stretchy,
 with a mild stickiness to it. It should not crumble when you pull it
apart, but instead, stretch easily before it breaks. If overcooked,
it will crack when you mold it, and feel dry to the touch.
a. You cannot go back once you overcook it, and you must start
over. If undercooked, you can microwave your nerikiri-an again
for 20-30 second intervals with kneading until it is well done.
8. Place the finished nerikiri-an onto a damp, wringed out cloth.Knead
the nerikiri-an with the cloth several times and then break it up
into smaller pieces (3-8) and then knead them together with a cloth.
a. Repeat this process 2-5 times total.
b. If you do not have a cloth, you can use plastic wrap or
parchment paper.
c. An alternative to this method is to pass the nerikiri-an
through a sieve and then combine them.
d. The purpose of this step is to both knead and cool down the
nerikiri-an ASAP. This makes it smoother and whiter by
including air in it.
e. Once the nerikiri-an is cool enough to handle comfortably, it
is ready to be used for beautiful designs!
9. Store the finished nerikiri-an in plastic wrap or in an airtight
container. Refrigerate and use within a week.

Making nerikiri-an (with yam)

1. Peel the yam’s skin and cut it into thin disks.

a. The yam is slippery, so be careful.
2. Place a cloth moistened with water in a steamer and place the yam
disks on it.
3. Steam for about 10-15 minutes until the yam is tender and soft enough
to be passed through a fork or bamboo skewer.
4. While hot, pass the yam through a strainer or sieve to create a fresh
pile of soft, mashed yam. Collect the yam in a bowl as you pass it
through the sieve.
5. Combine the shiro-an, sugar, and yam together in a pot, and heat it
over low-medium to medium heat. Constantly stir the mixture while it
is being heated for 10-20 minutes to evaporate the water to an
extent. When the mixture begins to thicken, lower the heat. Continue
stirring the mixture to prevent it from burning. The paste is ready
when you can draw a line at the bottom of the pan. Another way to
check is that if the mixture is thick enough to stay in shape, it is
ready. Test this by picking up some of the paste and forming a mound
or pile and seeing if it will retain its shape.
 a. Keep in mind that the paste will continue to evaporate more
water as it cools down, so try not to overcook it.
i. Once overcooked, the result will be a crumbly, dry
mixture.
6. Place the finished nerikiri-an onto a damp, wringed out cloth.Knead
the nerikiri-an with the cloth several times and then break it up
into smaller pieces (3-8) and then knead them together with a cloth.
a. Repeat this process 2-5 times total.
b. If you do not have a cloth, you can use plastic wrap or
parchment paper.
c. An alternative to this method is to pass the nerikiri-an
through a sieve and then combine them.
d. The purpose of this step is to both knead and cool down the
nerikiri-an ASAP. This makes it smoother and whiter by
including air in it.
e. Important: Understand the texture of nerikiri-an. Your finished
product should be considerably soft, moist, and somewhat
stretchy, with a mild stickiness to it. It should not crumble
when you pull it apart, but instead, stretch easily before it
breaks. If overcooked, it will crack when you mold it, and feel
dry to the touch.
f. Once the nerikiri-an is cool enough to handle comfortably, it
is ready to be used for beautiful designs!
7. Store the finished nerikiri-an in plastic wrap or in an airtight
container. Refrigerate and use within a week.