Kinako (黄粉 or きなこ "yellow flour") is roasted Soy flour, used in Japanese cuisine.
History
Usage of the word
kinako appeared in Japanese cookbooks from the late
Muromachi period (1336–1573).
An early record of the word comes from the text Sōtan Chakai Kondate Nikki ( Sōtan's Tea Ceremony Cookery Menu Diary), written in 1587 by Sen no Sōtan, a tea ceremony master.
Production
Kinako is produced by finely grinding roasted soybeans into powder.
The skin of the soybean is typically removed before pulverizing the beans, but some varieties of
kinako retain the roasted skin.
Yellow soybeans produce a yellow
kinako, and green soybeans produce a light-green product.
Usage
Kinako is widely used in Japanese cooking, but is strongly associated with
dango and
wagashi.
Dango,
made from
mochiko (
rice flour), are commonly coated with
kinako.
[ Wagashi, traditional Japanese confections, also make extensive use of a mixture of kinako and sugar.] Examples include
Botamochi and
Abekawa-mochi.
Kinako, when combined with milk or
soy milk, can also be made into a drink. One example of its use in popular foods is
warabimochi, which is a famous kinako-covered sweet.
140614 Yagyu Iris Garden Nara Japan07s.jpg| Kuzumochi with kinako
Oharano-jinja Kyoto13s4592.jpg| Kusa mochi covered in kinako
みつだんご (34100732711).jpg| Dango with kinako
Nutrition
Being composed of soybeans,
kinako is a nutritious topping and source of flavor, containing
B vitamins and
protein.
Compared to boiled soybeans, however, the protein in
kinako is not easily digested.
See also
External links
