KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 28 – It is sunny here in Malaysia, given our tropical climate. But January always reminds me of the heart of winter, particularly in beloved destinations such as Japan.

Perhaps it’s fitting, then, that my Weekend Kitchen offerings this month revolve around a Japanese winter menu.

First, we enjoy oodles of noodles (and good fortune) with a bowl of New Year’s soba with light-as-air prawn tempura.

Accompany this with umami-rich and oh-so-buttery bacon and corn niblets, the shoyu and ghee offering most of the flavour hits.

With the main/starches and the sides sorted, all that is left is to complete the meal with something sweet. A Japanese dessert or wagashi.

Here I am inspired by an occasional weekend ritual that always calms me down: making a bowl of matcha from scratch.

Matcha, or green tea powder, is made from green tea leaves that have been dried and then ground to a fine powder.

Its earthy and somewhat bittersweet flavour requires something sweet to balance it. What better accompaniment than sweet adzuki bean mash and some ripe strawberries?

So please, enjoy this winter wagashi: a matcha pudding with adzuki and strawberries. And may the rest of your year be as divine and delightful.

MATCHA PUDDING WITH ADZUKI AND STRAWBERRIES

While matcha pudding is a relatively modern Japanese dessert, the adzuki or red bean mash we are using here as a topping is more traditional.

Also known as tsubushian, this is a type of anko or sweet Japanese red bean paste, albeit a version that still retains the skins of the adzuki beans. As a result, there is more of a textural contrast between the mushy yet coarse mash and the silky smooth matcha pudding.

The final garnish of strawberries is not uncommon, of course, being popular in both French pâtisserie and Japanese wagashi. The difference here is the strawberries aren’t macerated or glazed as they might be in the French tradition.

Instead, given that fresh strawberries, grown in greenhouses, are Japan’s favourite winter fruit, it’s best to use them as they are, without fussing too much.

Ingredients

200g adzuki beans (red beans)

80g sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

2 sheets gelatine

250ml full-cream milk

250ml whipping cream

3 tablespoons unsweetened matcha powder

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

350g whole milk yoghurt

8-10 fresh strawberries, halved

Method

Rinse and drain the adzuki beans for a few rounds until the water runs clear. Fill the pot with just enough water to cover the beans and soak overnight.

The next morning, drain the adzuki beans one final time. Again, fill the pot with enough water to cover the beans and bring to a boil on the stove.

Once the water begins to boil, reduce to a simmer. Continue simmering for about an hour until most of the water has evaporated.

Add the sugar and salt, and stir to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

While the adzuki beans are simmering, you can get started on making the matcha pudding. Soak the sheets of gelatine in half of the milk inside a large bowl. Let it soak for at least 20 minutes until completely softened.

Add the remaining milk, whipping cream, matcha, sugar and vanilla extract into a pot. Allow the mixture to simmer over a medium heat, making sure to whisk continuously.

Once the sugar has dissolved, remove the pot from the heat and set aside for 10 minutes to allow the ingredients to steep.

Pour the cooled matcha-milk mixture into a mixing bowl, using a fine-mesh strainer to remove any unsightly lumps. Next add the gelatine-milk mixture and yoghurt. Stir to combine.

Divide the matcha-gelatine-milk mixture equally, pouring into 4-6 smaller bowls. Fill each bowl only to the halfway point, leaving space for the toppings later. Chill in the refrigerator for 4-6 hours until set.

To serve, top each bowl of matcha pudding with 2-3 generous spoonfuls of mashed adzuki, followed by 2-3 strawberry halves.

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