Green Tea Yang-gaeng(Yōkan)

 Yang-gaeng(Yōkan) is a thick, jellied dessert made of red bean paste(or white bean paste), agar, and sugar. It is a popular dessert and tea food in Northeast Asia. Because it is soft and has a long history; it has been eaten since 1191A.D., it is known as a dessert for old people.

 

I love to eat Yang-gaeng(Yōkan), since I was kid. Especially I liked this store bought Yang-geang.  It has a reminiscence package design which they almost didn't change since 1945.

I think Yang-gaeng is almost good as chocolate and it's only half calories without fat. Except the store bought one, Yang-gaeng is still considered as a traditional luxurious snack. It's sold in red bean, sweet potato, green tea, even strawberry these days. 

The version that I made today is not quite traditional, since I used unflavored gelatin instead of agar. Also I add a lemon jelly layer, because I realized not many western people like to eat red bean paste. I guess what I made is in between Yang-geang and Jello. :)

First, I made my own white bean paste, but you can just use store bought red or white bean paste. This process takes long time and needs some effort. Other than making bean paste this recipe is super easy.

+

More about Bean Paste Recipes  

You will need

2 cup strongly brewed green tea (1 cold cup, 1 hot cup)

2 cup white bean paste

5 tablespoon sugar (depends on your taste)

5 packets gelatin

1 tablespoon Matcha powder

Food coloring (optional)

Directions

1. Pour 4 packet of gelatin in 1 cup of cold strong green tea and let them dissolve for 1 minutes.

 2. Add cold gelatin mixture with 1 cup of hot green tea.

3. Mix everything together. (Food coloring is optional. I add less than a drop of green and yellow)

4. Pour the mixture in your mold. (Any kind of mold is fine. Traditionally Yang-geang is a rectangular block, but people using prettier mold these days. )

Voila!!

I know it is too easy. It is almost like making Jello. :D

I put blueberries in it.
I think it is better, because it gives a nice refreshing point, while you are eating sort of pasty jello.
I would say it is like a nutty grainy jello. I enjoyed it (Of course, I like everything made out of bean paste.), but I feel like American would like sweet potato yang-geang better.

I finally tried pan fired green tea that I made in Boseong, Korea. 

It was actually better than I expected. 

Very mild and nutty.

+

More about HS's pan fired tea.