Kinako (黄粉 or きなこ "yellow flour") is roasted soybean flour, used in Japanese cuisine. In English, it is usually called "roasted soy flour". Kinako is mostly used as a topping to flavor rice cakes like mochi.

History

Usage of the word kinako appeared in Japanese cookbooks from the late Muromachi period (1336–1573). An early record of the word comes from the text Sōtan Chakai Kondate Nikki (Sōtan's Tea Ceremony Cookery Menu Diary), written in 1587 by Sen no Sōtan, a tea ceremony master.

Production

Kinako is produced by finely grinding roasted soybeans into powder. The skin of the soybean is typically removed before pulverizing the beans, but some varieties of kinako retain the roasted skin. Yellow soybeans produce a yellow kinako, and green soybeans produce a light-green product.

Usage

Kinako is widely used in Japanese cooking, but is strongly associated with dango and wagashi. Dango, dumplings made from mochiko (rice flour), are commonly coated with kinako. Examples include ohagi and Abekawa-mochi. Kinako, when combined with milk or soy milk, can also be made into a drink. One example of its use in popular foods is warabimochi, which is a famous kinako-covered sweet.

Nutrition

Being composed of soybeans, kinako is a nutritious topping and source of flavor, containing B vitamins and protein. Compared to boiled soybeans, however, the protein in kinako is not easily digested.