Dorayaki

There was a time when I would hand draw birthday cards and even make crafty (read: hideous) things from whatever I could lay my hands on for selected few. They weren't always very good and only my loving parents would keep these weird art pieces as if they were treasures.  For the longest time I was made to believe that anything that came from the heart (and pulled from the recycled pile) -- no matter how misshapen -- was worth more than store bought perfection.   

I still believe that.... some what.

But having access to money has, ironically, made me lazy. I work hard at work to bring in the dough but when it comes to relationships, I rely on online shopping and love the way it can zap all that hassle with a double click. The truth is also that in reality, there are things I can't make.

So, when my friend "C's" birthday came up -- and without having to sell meth or my children to afford the retirement lake house that she'd been dreaming of -- I decided I would make some Dorayaki (red bean paste pancakes) that she liked so much whilst working in Japan.

I realized that I do have a knack for cooking even if my crafty hands have retired and my drawing days behind me.

Most of my creative energy takes place in the kitchen these days. And if I can't find Dorayaki anywhere in this town, then, this token birthday gift was going to be different -- in a good way-- I figured.

It started off as a self-less act but at the end, I'd made enough pancakes and red bean paste to go around for my kids and myself. My kids were thrilled as they sat at the breakfast table peeling the plastic wrap off their pancake and reminiscing the last time they had a Dorayaki.  They couldn't believe that I'd managed to recreate their childhood snack, neither could I.

In the end, this home made gift intended for one delighted more. Who knew?

Makes 8 pancakes
Ingredients for red bean paste: (or use canned red bean paste)
1 cup uncooked red beans
Sugar to taste


Method:
1. Place uncooked red beans in slow cooker and fill with 2 cups water.
2. Cook on the low setting.
3. When beans are soft, rid of excess water, mash coarsely. Do not over mash if you like the bean paste to have some texture.
4. Add sugar to taste at the very last.


If the mixture is still too watery, cook the bean mixture over the stove until more water has evaporated.
If the mixture is too dry and crumbly, add a little water (tbsp-ful)at a time to the bean mixture.


*Alternatively, use store bought red bean paste. I find them a little too sweet. In any case, I had a ready supply of uncooked red beans and a very reliable slow cooker.


Ingredients for pancake batter: (from 'Just One Cookbook') 
4 eggs
140g (2/3 cup) sugar
2 Tbsp. honey
160g (1 cup) all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1-2 Tbsp. water


1. Whisk eggs and sugar together until frothy.
2. Whisk in honey.
3. Whisk in flour and baking powder.
4. Leave mixture in the fridge for 15 minutes to rest.
5. Just before you are ready to make the pancakes, whisk in 1/2 tbsp-ful of water at a time.
The pancake batter should be thicker than usual pancake batter.
6. On low-to-medium heat, ladle out batter on to greased griddle. Be warn that the pancakes tend to brown very quickly. You need to keep a careful watch on the pancakes cooking.
7. Flip and cook underside.
8. Place the cooked pancakes aside with a moist towel over them until all pancakes are made.
9. Spread pancakes with the red bean filling. Sandwich between two pancakes.


If the pancakes will not be eaten straight away, wrap them in plastic when they've cooled so that they don't dry out.