Mizuame

Mizuame is a yummy syrup that is made from starch. Starch is something that we can find in some of our favorite foods like rice and potatoes. But to make mizuame, we start with a special kind of starch called sweet potato starch or corn starch.

The sweet potato starch or corn starch is mixed with water to make a thick, gooey mixture. Then this mixture is heated up on a stove while someone stirs it constantly. While it is being heated up, it becomes thicker and stickier. Once it's thick enough, we add some special enzymes that magically turn the starch into sugar. Sugar is something that makes our food sweet and yummy.

After the enzymes are added, the mixture is heated up again until it becomes thick and shiny. Finally, it's time for us to strain it through a special filter. This gets rid of any bits that we don't want in our yummy syrup.

Once it's strained, the mizuame is ready! It's often used in Japan to make candies and other sweet treats. It's a lot like the syrup we put on pancakes, but it's a bit firmer and more gooey.

So next time you have something sweet in Japan, you might be eating something made from mizuame!