Sweet bean paste (anko) is a sweetened paste made by cooking and mashing adzuki beans, used throughout Japanese, Chinese, and Korean cooking. Adzuki beans have been cultivated in East Asia for centuries, and sweetening and mashing them into a paste is a long-standing way to use them in desserts. In Japan it fills mochi, dorayaki, and anpan; in China it fills mooncakes; in Korea it appears in dishes like pat-juk (red bean porridge). Texture ranges from smooth to chunky, and sugar content varies by recipe. It is distinct from black bean paste, a savory Chinese and Korean condiment made from fermented soybeans, despite the similar name.