Luna's Dorayaki - Spelt and Adzuki Bean Pancake Sandwiches

Servings: ~8 pancakes / 4 dorayaki sandwiches

Prep time: 20 minutes (plus 30 minutes resting)

Cook time: 20 minutes

Total time: 70 minutes

Ingredients

Adzuki bean paste

• 200 g / 1 cup dried adzuki beans (or 400 g / 14 oz tinned, drained and rinsed)

• 3 tbsp coconut sugar

• 1 tbsp brown rice syrup

• ⅛ tsp coarse sea salt

Pancake batter

• 160 g / 1¼ cups wholegrain spelt flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

• 3 tbsp aquafaba

• 3 tbsp brown rice syrup

• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

• 160 ml / ⅔ cup unsweetened organic soy milk

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• Neutral oil for greasing (sesame, coconut or light olive)

Method

1. If cooking from dried, soak the adzuki beans overnight, drain, then simmer in fresh water for 45 to 60 minutes until completely soft. Drain well. If using tinned, drain and rinse.

2. Place the cooked beans in a small saucepan with the coconut sugar, brown rice syrup, and salt. Cook over a low heat, mashing and stirring continuously for 10 to 15 minutes until the mixture thickens into a soft, spreadable paste that holds its shape when scooped. Remove from heat and leave to cool completely.

3. For the batter, whisk the aquafaba and maple syrup together in a large bowl for 2 minutes until slightly foamy. This is your egg replacement and the foundation of the lift.

4. Add the brown rice syrup, apple cider vinegar, vanilla extract, and milk. Whisk to combine.

5. Lift in the spelt flour, baking powder, and bicarbonate of soda. Fold gently until just combined. A few small lumps are fine. Leave the batter to rest for 30 minutes — this allows the spelt to hydrate fully and is the difference between a flat pancake and a fluffy one.

6. Heat a non-stick pan over the lowest setting for 2 minutes, then raise to medium-low. Lightly oil and wipe away the excess with folded kitchen paper.

7. Drop 2 heaped tablespoons of batter per pancake into the pan. Cook undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes until bubbles appear across the surface and the edges look set. Flip gently and cook for 1 minute more. Transfer to a plate and cover with a clean damp cloth while you cook the rest.

8. To assemble, place a generous tablespoon of cooled adzuki paste onto the flat side of one pancake. Press a second pancake on top, flat sides together, and press the edges gently to seal.

They look like something Doraemon would approve of, and taste like a rainy afternoon in the best possible way.

A Japanese friend brought these for Luna as they returned from a trip back home. She ate two before I could say a word. Dorayaki are one of those things — humble in description, impossible to resist in reality. This is my healthier version, made with spelt for its easier digestibility and lower gluten load compared to refined wheat, and filled with a gently sweetened adzuki bean paste made from scratch.

Adzuki beans are one of the most prized foods in macrobiotic tradition: their saponins support kidney and adrenal function, their slow-release complex carbohydrates steady blood glucose without the spike, and their anthocyanins offer anti-inflammatory activity at the cellular level. The batter is egg-free, using aquafaba for the lift that makes these properly fluffy rather than flat.

Make these with your children on a slow afternoon. They will remember it. Or make mini dorajakis as a party finger food.

Yin–Yang Balance

The adzuki bean paste carries strongly yang qualities in the macrobiotic tradition — earthy, dense, kidney-nourishing, warming at the core. The spelt batter softens this with a lighter, more yin register: the silken tofu brings a quiet creaminess and a complete amino acid profile without the dampening quality of dairy or plant milks, sitting neutrally in the macrobiotic framework as minimally processed whole soy. The brown rice syrup adds the subtle depth that makes dorayaki what they are. The apple cider vinegar is a small but purposeful note, activating the bicarbonate and introducing a trace of acidity that rounds the sweetness and aids mineral absorption from the spelt. Overall a balanced, grounding treat — substantial enough to satisfy, light enough to leave you easy. The kind of thing that makes an afternoon feel held.

Nutrition Facts (approx., per dorayaki)

Calories: 215 kcal
Protein: g
Fat: 3 g
Carbohydrates: 38 g (of which sugars 11 g)
Fibre: 6g

Rich in: saponins and anthocyanins (adzuki), slow-release complex carbohydrates, manganese, folate, spelt's B vitamins and magnesium, soy isoflavones, complete plant protein

Notes & Variations

• The adzuki paste can be made two to three days ahead and kept in the fridge, which makes the day-of assembly much quicker. It also freezes well in small portions — useful if you want to make a batch and return to it across the week.

• For an extra layer of flavour and digestibility, add a small piece of kombu seaweed (kelp) to the beans as they cook and remove before mashing. This is the traditional macrobiotic method: kombu's glutamic acid softens the beans without altering their taste.

• For miniature versions, use one tablespoon of batter per pancake.

• These are best eaten on the day. If storing, wrap individually and keep at room temperature for up to one day, or refrigerate for two. Bring back to room temperature before serving.