Azuki bean paste, also known as anko or red bean paste, is a sweet creamy paste made from azuki beans, which are small, red beans commonly used in East Asian cuisine. The beans are boiled until soft, then sweetened with sugar and a pinch of salt, resulting in a sweet, earthy flavoured paste. There are two main types of anko: tsubuan, which is coarse and chunky with whole beans, and koshian, which is smooth and fine. But no matter the texture, it’s delicious!