Japanese pancakes with red bean filling (Dorayaki)

1. Rinse the adzuki beans, bring to the boil in 600 ml water, drain after 5 minutes, then cover with 300 ml fresh water and simmer for 60-80 minutes until soft, topping up with water as needed.

2. Add the sugar and salt and cook on low heat, stirring, into a thick, glossy, spreadable paste; cool completely.

3. For the pancakes, beat the eggs with the sugar and honey for 3-4 minutes until frothy, then sift in the flour and baking powder and mix until smooth; rest for 15 minutes, then loosen with the water into a thick but pourable batter.

4. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat, wipe thinly with oiled kitchen paper and remove the excess.

5. Pour in a ladleful of batter from a height to make a 9 cm disc; when bubbles appear on top (about 2 minutes), flip and cook for another 30-60 seconds – make 12 evenly golden-brown discs this way.

6. Spread half the discs with the anko (thicker in the middle), cover with the other half, press the edges together a little, wrap in cling film and rest for 10 minutes, then serve.

Tip: Dorayaki is the favourite sweet of Doraemon, the Japanese cartoon character. The honey gives it its lovely, even brown colour – don't let the pan get too hot, and cook with almost no oil. With ready-made anko it's done in half the time.