Anmitsu

Anmitsu is a traditional Japanese dessert popular for many centuries.

It is made of small cubes of agar, a white translucent jelly made from seaweed. Anmitsu is usually served in a bowl with sweet azuki bean paste or "anko" (the "an" part of "anmitsu"), boiled beans, and a variety of fruits. The fruits include melon slices, preserved oranges, pieces of pineapples, canned fruit, and strawberries although it may vary from season to season, depending on availability. The anmitsu usually comes with a small pot of sweet black syrup, or "mitsu" (the "mitsu" part of "anmitsu") which one pours onto the jelly before eating. Anmitsu is usually eaten with a spoon and fork.

There are some variations of this dessert. Mitsumame are anmitsu without the bean paste, with the "mitsu" meaning syrup and the "mame" meaning beans. Cream Anmitsu are anmitsu with ice cream on top. There are also anmitsu with nata de coco or shiratama dango as toppings. Amitsu is a cold dessert, so it is often eaten on a hot summer day.