Kinako

Used primarily in (and on) sweets, kinako is made by roasting soybeans and grinding them into a fine flour. The appearance of the flour can vary depending on the type of soybeans used — it’s often a warm golden yellow, but you may also see versions with a greener hue.  Some varieties include bits of soybean skin, although more often the skin is removed before grinding. 

You’ll most often find this flour as a topping on mochi and wagashi (traditional Japanese confections), where the sweets are partially or fully rolled in kinako. A popular example is dango — small dumplings made from rice flour and glutinous rice flour, shaped into balls, skewered, and topped with sweet sauces, red bean paste, kinako, or other flavorful toppings. Sometimes they’re roasted or baked to give them a crispy, lightly charred exterior. 

Kinako is also used in drinks, such as kinako milk or a kinako latte. Served hot or cold, this beverage has a slightly sweet, earthy, nutty flavor, often enhanced with a touch of sugar, honey, maple syrup, or your preferred sweetener. 

You can find kinako at Uwajimaya in the grocery department.