Brown Rice Amazake Ice Cream with Kinako
The weather is starting to heat up and what could be more enjoyable on a hot summers day than a delicious ice cream. Well this one is not only dairy free but is made with brown rice amazake. I’m using the one from Clearspring which you can find from health stores or on line.
The amazake is made in Japan by using time-honoured production processes and just three organic ingredients, water, whole grains and salt. A koji culture converts the carbohydrates from the whole grains into simple sugars to make it naturally sweet and creamy.
I was inspired by ohsawa Japan cooking school to make this ice cream it’s so simple and delicious and takes little effort.
You will need :
x1 jar of brown rice amazake
x2 tablespoons of kinako (soy bean flour) plus more for sprinkling on your final ice cream to serve.
x2 teaspoons of white sesame paste (or tahini)
x2 tablespoons of good quality soy milk (I like bonsoy)
a pinch of salt
x2 teaspoons of toasted sesame oil
Method:
Push the amazake through a fine sieve to collect the grains ( I used my misokoshi ) I have talked about this a few times for making miso soup ( available to buy from www.hatsukoi.co.uk) Using this will ensure you have a nice smooth texture. Do not throw the grains they are nice to add to a morning porridge or over night oats.
Add your amazake to a bowl and add everything else except the toasted sesame oil. Give everything a mix then finally whisk in the oil until it’s well combined.
Add your mixture to a container and chill well in the fridge.
Take it out to soften slightly before serving. Dust with kinako powder.
Why not pour over some kuromitsu to make it extra special.
Kuromitsu is a Japanese sugar syrup similar in taste to molasses. It’s typically made from unrefined kokuto and is an ingredient you will find as an accompaniment to many Japanese summer desserts like Anmitsu, Warabi Mochi and Kuzukiri.
It is made by extracting the juice of fresh sugar cane and crystallising it. It contains minerals like potassium and iron that are removed normally during refining. This sugar is mostly made in Okinawa and the people there refer to it as “life medicine” which is food that makes you feel good. You can buy kokuto in sugar granules or cube form. Kokuto is easily bought on line.
To make Kuromitsu for this dessert:
25g or 2 tablespoons of kokuto
25g of unrefined sugar
25ml water
Method:
Boil up in a pan once boiling reduce the heat to a simmer until it thickens and dissolved (takes just a few minutes).
Pour into a small jug or bowl for pouring and set aside to cool. You may find it goes very thick just add a little hot water and stir to desired consistency. You can keep any left over in a jar in the fridge to use next time.
Let’s enjoy summer with Japanese vegan food