Kinako (きな粉) is a fine powder made by roasting soybeans before grinding them.
Widely used in Japanese sweets and desserts, it has a mild, roasted flavour reminiscent of hazelnuts or peanuts, although it does not contain any tree nuts or peanuts.
Kinako is sometimes translated as “soybean flour”, but it differs from raw flours because the beans are roasted beforehand.
It is therefore ready to eat and does not require any further cooking. Its colour can vary from pale yellow to brown depending on the soybeans used and the intensity of the roasting.
Plain kinako is generally unsweetened. In Japan, it is often mixed with sugar and sometimes a small pinch of salt before being sprinkled over food. As it is made from soybeans, it should not be confused with Japanese rice flours used to prepare mochi and dango dough.
One of the simplest ways to use it is to coat a grilled or softened kirimochi in a mixture of kinako and sugar.
Kinako is also served with dango, warabi mochi and many mochi and daifuku. Its roasted flavour pairs particularly well with azuki bean anko, black sesame and brown sugar syrups.
Outside traditional Japanese sweets, a small amount can be added to yoghurt, a plant-based drink, cake batter or biscuits.
Kinako readily absorbs moisture. After opening, it should be carefully resealed and stored according to the instructions provided for the product.
For a slightly different use, our kinako ame recipe shows you how to prepare small roasted-soybean sweets. You will not be disappointed 😁
