{{Short description|Roasted soybean flour}} {{For|the 2010 Japanese film|Kinako (film)}} {{italic title|reason=:Category:Japanese words and phrases}} {{Infobox food | name = ''Kinako'' | image = Soy powder.jpg | image_size = 300px | caption = ''Kinako'', or roasted soybean flour | alternate_name = | country = Japan | region = | creator = | type = | served = | main_ingredient = Soybeans | variations = | calories = | other = }} '''''Kinako''''' ({{lang|ja|黄粉}} or {{lang|ja|きなこ}} "yellow flour") is roasted soybean flour, used in Japanese cuisine.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|encyclopedia=Puroguresshibu Waei Chūjiten [プログレッシブ和英中辞典] |trans-title=Progressive Japanese-English Dictionary |title=Kinako |url=http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ |access-date=2012-06-26 |year=2012 |publisher=Shogakukan |location=Tokyo |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070825113418/http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ |archive-date=2007-08-25 }}</ref> In English, it is usually called "roasted soy flour". ''Kinako'' is mostly used as a topping to flavor rice cakes like mochi.<ref>{{Cite book |first=Naomichi |last=Ishige |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=H0nXAwAAQBAJ |title=History Of Japanese Food |date=2011 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=9781136602559 |page=257}}</ref>
== History == Usage of the word ''kinako'' appeared in Japanese cookbooks from the late Muromachi period (1336–1573).<ref name="kokugoD">{{cite encyclopedia|encyclopedia=Nihon Kokugo Daijiten (日本国語大辞典) |title=Kinako |url=http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ |access-date=2012-05-26 |year=2012 |publisher=Shogakukan |location=Tokyo |language=Japanese |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070825113418/http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ |archive-date=2007-08-25 }}</ref>
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.<ref>{{Cite book |first=Janet |last=Clarkson |title=Food History Almanac: Over 1,300 Years of World Culinary History, Culture, and Social Influence |date=2014 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |isbn= 9781442227149 |page=585}}</ref>
==Production== ''Kinako'' is produced by finely grinding roasted soybeans into powder.<ref name="kokugoD" /><ref name="nipponika">{{cite encyclopedia|encyclopedia=Nihon Daihyakka Zensho (Nipponika) |title=Kinako |url=http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ |access-date=2012-05-26 |year=2012 |publisher=Shogakukan |location=Tokyo |language=Japanese |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070825113418/http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ |archive-date=2007-08-25 }}</ref> The skin of the soybean is typically removed before pulverizing the beans, but some varieties of ''kinako'' retain the roasted skin.<ref name="nipponika"/> Yellow soybeans produce a yellow ''kinako'', and green soybeans produce a light-green product.<ref name="nipponika"/>
==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''.<ref name="kokugo"> ''Wagashi'', traditional Japanese confections, also make extensive use of a mixture of ''kinako'' and sugar.{{cite encyclopedia|encyclopedia=Dijitaru daijisen |title=Kinako |url=http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ |access-date=2012-05-26 |year=2012 |publisher=Shogakukan |location=Tokyo |language=Japanese |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070825113418/http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ |archive-date=2007-08-25 }}</ref> 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.
<gallery widths="150px" heights="150px" mode="packed"> Kurumi mochi.jpg|''Kurumimochi'' (rice cake) covered in ''kinako'' 140614 Yagyu Iris Garden Nara Japan07s.jpg|''Kuzumochi'' with ''kinako'' Oharano-jinja Kyoto13s4592.jpg|''Kusa mochi'' covered in ''kinako'' Dango for Okuridango.JPG|''Dango'' (rice flour dumplings) covered in ''kinako'' みつだんご (34100732711).jpg|''Dango'' with ''kinako'' </gallery>
== Nutrition == Being composed of soybeans, ''kinako'' is a nutritious topping and source of flavor, containing B vitamins and protein.<ref name="nipponika"/> Compared to boiled soybeans, however, the protein in ''kinako'' is not easily digested.<ref name="nipponika"/>
==See also== * List of soy-based foods * Pinole * Besan * Matcha, green tea powder * Gofio, almost identical elaboration from other staple food.
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{commonscat|Soy powder}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20130503200339/http://www.soyinfocenter.com/books/160 History of Roasted Whole Soy Flour (Kinako), Soy Coffee, and Soy Chocolate (2012)] Archived 2013
Category:Soy-based foods Category:Japanese cuisine Category:Food powders