Kaichu Shiruko: Wagashi Instant Monaka Oshiruko Soup
As you may know, “Shiruko (しるこ, 汁粉)” or Oshiruko is a traditional Japanese red bean soup often eaten in the winter season with toasted Mochi rice cakes.
But with this “Kaichu Shiruko (懐中しるこ: Pocket Shiruko)”, the soup dish can casually be enjoyed throughout the year.
Kaichu Shiruko (懐中しるこ)
Kaichu Shiruko is a traditional Japanese sweet or Wagashi confection consisting of dried red bean paste covered in two thin crisp rice wafers called Monaka.
It is a kind of instant Oshiruko soup prepared by soaking and dissolving the Monaka in a bowl of hot water.
Today, a number of confectionery makers are producing Kaichu Monaka, but this one from “Bunmeido (文明堂)” is one of the best and most famous.
The product is available for 120 yen (about 1.1 USD) or so in many supermarkets, and I bought it near my house.
Preparation
How to make Oshiruko soup from this Monaka is simple as follows; First, crush the Monaka before opening the bag. Then, place the crushed wafers in a bowl/cup.
After pouring about 130 ml of boiling water into the bowl, give it all a good stir with chopsticks or the like, and it’s ready to eat.
Taste
In this Oshiruko soup, the water-absorbed Monaka rice wafers play a role like Mochi.
The red bean soup is smooth with the right amount of sweetness and easy to drink, while the Mochi-like Monaka is soft with a nice chewy bite.
The overall taste is quite good, so I can’t get enough of this Oshiruko soup!
