Amanattō facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Amanattō

Peanut amanattō
Type	Confectionery
Place of origin	Japan
Region or state	East Asia
Created by	Hosoda Yasubei
Main ingredients	Adzuki or other beans, sugar, sugar syrup

Amanattō (error: {{nihongo}}: Japanese or romaji text required (help)) is a delicious traditional Japanese sweet. It is made from beans, often azuki beans. These beans are first cooked gently in a sweet sugar syrup. After cooking, they are dried and covered with a layer of fine sugar. It's a bit like a candied bean snack!

What is Amanattō?

Amanattō is a type of confectionery, which means it's a sweet treat. It's very popular in Japan. The main ingredients are usually azuki beans, but other types of beans can also be used.

How is Amanattō Made?

Making Amanattō involves a special process.

• First, the beans are simmered slowly in a sugar syrup. This makes them soft and sweet.
• Then, the beans are carefully dried.
• Finally, they are coated with a layer of refined sugar. This gives them their unique sweet and slightly chewy texture.

The History of Amanattō

Amanattō was invented a long time ago in Japan.

• It was created by a person named Hosoda Yasubei.
• This happened during the Bunkyū years (1861–1863). This time was part of the Edo period in Japanese history.
• Hosoda Yasubei opened a special sweet shop in Tokyo. He named the shop Eitaro, which was his childhood name.
• This shop is still open today, making traditional Japanese sweets!

How Amanattō Got Its Name

The name of this sweet has changed over time.

• Originally, it was called amananattō (error: {{nihongo}}: Japanese or romaji text required (help)).
• After World War II, the name was shortened to amanattō.
• It's interesting to know that the name sounds a bit like nattō. Nattō is another Japanese food made from fermented beans. However, the similarity in names is just a coincidence. Amanattō is a sweet, and nattō is a savory, sticky dish.

Amanattō in Hokkaido

In most parts of Japan, Amanattō is eaten as a sweet snack on its own.

• However, in Hokkaidō, a large island in northern Japan, it's used in a different way.
• People in Hokkaidō use Amanattō when they cook sekihan.
• Sekihan is a traditional Japanese dish of steamed glutinous rice with azuki beans.
• Because Amanattō is added, the sekihan in Hokkaidō tastes a little sweet. This is different from sekihan made in other parts of East Asia, which is usually not sweet.

See also

In Spanish: Amanattō para niños