Dorayaki (Japanese Sweet Pancake with Red Kidney Bean Paste)

So delicious with a cup of hot green tea or coffee :)

Dorayaki is Japanese sweet pancake filled with red bean paste. It is different from normal pancake because they don't use salt but they add some honey in. The honey aroma of the pancake is such a charming when you serve it warm. Instead of small red bean; I used red kidney bean. I also reduce some sugar from the original Japanese recipe so it is good for the ones who enjoy not too sweet taste like me ;)

Ingredients for 5 dorayaki (10 separated pancakes)
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
1/4 cup stevia or sugar (original recipe used 1/2 cup)
1 tbsp honey
3/4 cup milk
Small amount of vegetable oil (for frying)
Ingredients for red kidney bean paste
1 can (400 gr) of kidney bean
1 cup of stevia or sugar (original recipe used 1 1/2 cup)
100-150 ml (1-1.5 dl) of water

How to make red bean paste

1. Put kidney bean out of the can and wash them with water.
2. Boil beans in hot water for 5 minutes to get rid of salty taste. Drain the water out.
3. In a clean pot, coarsely mash kidney bean and place the pan on the medium heat.
4. Put stevia or sugar in and stir regularly. Pour water gradually and keep stirring if it is too sticky.
5. It is about 10 minutes on the heat. Transfer the bean paste into a bowl and let is cool down for half an hour. 

How to make the pancake

1. You need 2 bowls. The first one is to mix flour and baking soda.
2. In another bowl, mix eggs, sugar, and honey together. Make sure that honey melts and mixes well with the egg. Then add milk and mix well again.
3. Put the mixed flour (item 1) into egg mixture, and whisk until it becomes smooth.
4. On the non-stick frying pan at medium low heat, put some drops of vegetable oil  and wipe oil around the pan with a piece of serviette.
5. Drop 1/8 of a cup of the batter into the pan, like a pancake. When the surface of pancake turns lots of bubble, flip it over and cook 1-2 more minutes.
6. Transfer to a plate and cover with a wet paper towel.
7. Take a piece of pancake and put a full tablespoon of bean paste. Then, put another pancake on the top like a sandwich. Wrap it with aluminum foil /plastic and pinch to seal the edges of the pancakes together. 
8. You can keep in the refrigerator after cooling down, and warm with microwave when serving.  

I am appreciated for Noriko and Yuko's website. Thier easy and original recipes are recommended.
http://www.japanesecooking101.com/