Matcha Muffins

Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, matcha, and powdered sugar into a bowl. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk the soy milk until foamy.

Add the maple syrup and soy sauce and continue to whisk and incorporate air.

Add the vegetable oil if your soy milk is not especially "rich."

Resift the flour mixture. Fold it into the soy milk mixture in two or three batches, stirring gently after each addition to combine. The resulting batter should be smooth, thick, and slightly foamy. Line individual freestanding cupcake forms, or a 6-muffin tin (if it will fit in your steamer), with paper or foil liners and pour in a scant 1/4 cup of the batter. Tap down to level the batter. If you are using the black beans, place 6 or 7 beans on top of the batter in each cup (the weight of the beans will cause them to sink).

Place the filled cups in a flat-bottomed, lidded steamer fitted with a cloth-protected lid. Set the steamer over high heat. Once you hear the water boiling, adjust the heat to maintain a steady flow of steam. Steam for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the tops of the muffins crack and split and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Always remove the lid carefully to avoid the steam burning your hand.

Transfer the muffins to a rack to cool. Keep the paper or foil liners in place until ready to eat. The muffins will keep at room temperature for up to 6 hours; to keep them soft and moist, place them in a closed container or slip them into a resealable bag. To store longer, refrigerate for up to 2 days. To rewarm before serving, place the muffins in a microwave (remove foil liners first) and zap on high for 10 seconds.

Reprinted with permission from Kansha: Celebrating Japan's Vegan and Vegetarian Traditions by Elizabeth Andoh. Copyright © 2010 by Elizabeth Andoh; photographs copyright © 2010 by Leigh Beisch. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.Elizabeth Andoh is the American authority on Japanese cuisine. She has made Japan her home since 1967 and divides her time between Tokyo and Osaka, directing a culinary program called A Taste of Culture. Her book Washoku won the 2006 IACP Jane Grigson award for distinguished scholarship in food writing and was nominated for a James Beard Award.