Give it Forth: Eat Like a King: Okashi – Anmitsu and Japanese Sweet Traditions (Muromachi Feast Recreation)

Okashi – Anmitsu and Japanese Sweet Traditions (Muromachi Feast Recreation)

Jasmine green tea ice cream on agar jelly with red bean paste and black sugar syrup

Jasmine green tea ice cream on agar (kanten), surrounded by red bean paste and a drizzle of black sugar syrup.

Imagine my surprise when I realized I’d never published the final tray of the feast! This course—built around Anmitsu—was my nod to banquet finales that closed with fruit and confections. My interpretation layers agar jelly, fresh fruit, shiratama mochi, sweet red bean paste (anko), black sugar syrup (kuromitsu), and jasmine green tea ice cream.

Historical Frame: Okashi in Context

In the Muromachi period (1336–1573), formal banquet cuisine (honzen ryori) treated sweets as refined, seasonal endings rather than everyday fare. Sugar was scarce and costly; sweetness often came from beans, grains, or fruit. As long-distance trade expanded, imported sugars and new tools elevated confectionery into an art closely linked with tea culture—favoring elegance and balance over intense sweetness.

Seasonal Aesthetics: Confections mirrored the time of year—spring blossoms, summer greens, autumn leaves, winter snows. Their fleeting forms encouraged contemplation of impermanence and gratitude at table.

Trade, Technique, and Evolution

Maritime trade in the 16th century brought refined sugar and new implements that influenced sweet-making. Hybrid sweets (like castella sponge) arose from cultural exchange. Meanwhile, temple kitchens and courtly households continued to favor plant-based textures and subtle flavors, keeping okashi aligned with ideals of restraint.

Cross-Cultural Parallels

Just as medieval Europe prized marchpane and sugar plate as status-laden table art, Japan refined bean- and rice-based sweets into edible miniatures of the natural world. In both traditions, confectionery served as display, diplomacy, and delight.

Heian → Kamakura: fruits, nuts, lightly sweetened treats
Muromachi: codified banquets; sweet courses as refined finales
Edo: wagashi artistry flourishes with broader sugar access

Ingredient Insights

Agar (kanten): a seaweed-derived gelling agent long valued in Buddhist vegetarian cooking and later central to clear, delicate jellies in confectionery.

Anko (red bean paste): sweetened adzuki paste that underpins many classic sweets. Texture ranges from smooth to rustic and chunky.

Kuromitsu (black sugar syrup): made from unrefined brown sugars—deeper, rounder, and more mineral than modern white sugar syrups.

Glossary of Key Terms

Okashi: General term for sweets or confections; originally “pleasing things.”

Anmitsu: A cold dessert featuring agar cubes, fruit, anko (sweet bean paste), and syrup.

Anko: Sweet red bean paste made from adzuki beans, either smooth or coarse.

Kanten (Agar): A gelatin-like substance derived from red algae, used to create clear jellies.

Kuromitsu: Literally “black honey,” a syrup made from unrefined Okinawan brown sugar.

Then vs. Now: Okashi Through the Ages

Period	Then (Historical)	Now (Modern Adaptation)
Heian (794–1185)	Fruits, nuts, and honey-based sweets enjoyed by nobles; sugar virtually unknown.	Fresh fruit desserts remain common, often paired with lightly sweetened syrups.
Muromachi (1336–1573)	Formal banquets featured simple rice or bean confections; sugar used sparingly as medicine or offering.	Historical recreations like this Anmitsu honor restraint and natural sweetness.
Edo (1603–1868)	Wagashi art flourishes; regional confectioners create seasonally inspired designs for the tea ceremony.	Okashi evolves into a national art form, blending aesthetics and taste for modern festivals and cafés.
Today	Historical flavors preserved in traditional wagashi shops and tea ceremonies.	Fusion sweets pair anko and matcha with Western pastries, ice creams, and parfaits worldwide.

Modern Kitchen: Core Components

Shiratama Dango (Rice-Flour Mochi)

Tip: For freezing, dust in potato starch, wrap pieces individually, and store airtight.

1⅔ cups glutinous rice flour
¾–1 cup water
2½ tbsp sugar

Mix to a soft dough. Roll into a log, pinch ¾-inch pieces, and flatten slightly. Press a small indentation in the center. Boil until they float (≈2 minutes) and shock in ice water. Best within 30 minutes; if refrigerated in water they firm up—re-warm briefly to soften.

Sweet Red Bean Paste (Anko)

Storage: Refrigerate up to 2 weeks. Optional: 2 tbsp butter for extra smoothness.

1 cup dried red (adzuki) beans
3–4 cups water
1½ cups sugar

Boil beans 5 minutes; drain. Add fresh water and simmer 1½–2 hours until tender. Drain, then cook with sugar over medium heat, stirring until glossy and jam-like. Cool.

Kuromitsu (Black Sugar Syrup)

Storage: Refrigerate up to 1 week. Sub muscovado or dark brown sugar if needed.

1 cup unrefined brown sugar
½ cup water

Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer ~20 minutes until slightly thick. For a lighter style, replace half the sugar with coarse demerara.

No-Churn Jasmine Green Tea Ice Cream

2⅓ cups heavy cream, divided
3 jasmine green tea bags
1 cup sweetened condensed milk

Simmer ⅔ cup cream with tea 5–8 minutes to infuse; cool. Combine with remaining cream and condensed milk; whip to soft peaks. Freeze 6+ hours.

Agar Jelly (Kanten)

2 tsp agar powder
2 cups water
2 tbsp sugar

Whisk agar with water; bring to a full boil to dissolve. Add sugar and cook 2 minutes. Pour into a shallow pan to set; chill, then cut into cubes (keeps 3 days).

Assembly & Serving

In chilled bowls, layer agar cubes, mochi, and seasonal fruit (mandarin segments, sliced persimmon). Add spoonfuls of anko, a scoop of jasmine ice cream, and finish with kuromitsu. Serve immediately.