Red Bean Paste (Dou Sha) Production

Pan-Chinese — red bean paste has been used in Chinese confectionery for over 1,000 years; also fundamental to Japanese wagashi

Dou sha (red bean paste): the foundational sweet filling of Chinese pastry, dim sum desserts, and festival foods. Adzuki beans simmered until soft, then mashed and cooked with oil and sugar until a smooth, glossy paste forms. Smooth (xi sha) or coarse (cu sha) paste serve different applications. The cooking-down stage is critical — insufficient cooking leaves a wet paste that makes wrappers soggy.

• Japanese anko (red bean paste — essentially identical)
• Korean pat (sweet red bean paste)
• French pâte de haricots rouges (red bean paste)

Sweet, earthy, subtly beany, smooth and rich — the universal sweet filling of Chinese pastry