Name: Black sesame and black soybean soy-kefir drink
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 200 ml plain soy kefir (Chilled; bought or homemade.); 150 ml unsweetened soy milk (Chilled. Add a splash more if you like it thinner.); 1 tbsp black sesame seeds (Use roasted, ready-to-eat seeds, or 1 tbsp ground black sesame if your blender leaves seeds whole.); 40 g cooked black soybeans (Unseasoned boiled or steamed black soybeans (not black turtle beans), drained.); 1 tbsp kinako (Choose unsweetened roasted soybean powder that is ready to eat.); 1 tbsp black sugar; 1 tsp honey

By Nik, founder of 東歐嚴選｜kefir.link and former chef · Updated 2 November 2026

Roasted soybean powder smells a little like roasted peanuts, and in this glass it meets black sesame, cooked black soybeans and the gentle tang of soy kefir. Kinako drinks are usually made with milk or soy milk; here soy kefir takes their place, while black sugar and honey round off the sourness. Everything goes into one blender jug, so the drink is ready as soon as it is smooth.

Prep time5 min

Total time5 min

Makes2 servings

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Black sesame and black soybean soy-kefir drink

The roasted powder behind Japanese sweets

Kinako is made by roasting soybeans and grinding them into a fine flour. In Japan it coats mochi and appears in many traditional sweets, valued for its toasted aroma and colour. The roast can run from pale yellow to brown, and green soybeans make a pale-green version. It tastes slightly sweet and nutty, without the beany smell of raw soy. In Taiwan, look for plain, ready-to-eat roasted soybean powder, which needs no further cooking.

Getting a smooth glass

Kinako tends to form lumps in liquid, so if you mix it by hand, dissolve it in a little liquid first or add it in several portions. A blender does that job for you and also breaks down the black soybeans, so keep going until the bean skins can no longer be seen. Whole sesame seeds are harder and may not blend evenly into soy milk. If your blender leaves the drink gritty, ground black sesame or sesame paste gives a smoother result. Be careful when adding extra kinako, because too much makes a drink thick and gloppy.

With toast, or as a warm kinako milk

A glass beside a slice of toast makes a simple breakfast. The same roasted flavour works in kinako milk made with plain milk or soy milk, which is good hot or cold at any time of year. Serve that version with steamed cake or baked sweet potato.