Superbeans: adzuki beans. How to cook?

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Beans are known to everyone and loved by many, but using them for desserts is somewhat unusual and unusual for us. Meanwhile, there is a special variety cultivated for centuries, rich not only in protein, but also in sugars.

Bean Champion

Its second name is angular cowpea. This is a whole genus of herbaceous annual plants from the legume family. The natural habitat is Southeast Asia and the Himalayas, where it was first cultivated. Small beans are collected in the pods of plants (up to 5 mm in length), they can have a different color: black, gray, white, with varying degrees of variegation. However, the most famous and valued is the red adzuki bean. In Japan, for example, it is the second most popular bean after soybeans. It is a valuable source of vegetable protein - the main building material for the human body. In addition, it contains a sufficient amount of folic acid, iron and complex carbohydrates.

In Asia, adzuki is most often used in the preparation of various desserts and pastries. In particular, sweet bean paste, anko, is very popular in China and Japan. It is used as an independent dish ortoppings for various kinds of pastries.

Cooking adzuki beans

The adzuki type differs from the familiar and familiar bean in its softness, sweetish taste and delicate nutty aroma. The main plus and nuance in its preparation is that it is not necessary to soak the beans. Without such preliminary preparation, beans are cooked quickly.

The beans must be washed and then poured with water in a ratio of 1:3. Simmer over low heat after boiling for about 45 minutes. Drain the remaining liquid from the cooked beans. With this method of preparation, almost all useful and valuable components are preserved in it. In this case, a double boiler will be a good helper - the beans are cooked in it for about 1.5 hours.

If you come across adzuki beans in the store, recipes using them will come in handy. True, it is worth noting that most of them are very exotic for our cuisine and sometimes it is difficult to find some ingredients. We invite you to try cooking adzuki beans as a second course and traditional Asian delicacies.

Beans with lentils and peppers

A hearty second course prepared according to this recipe is an excellent source of protein. It also has a low calorie content. You will need:

• adzuki beans - 50g;
• Pui lentils – 30g;
• red beans (regular) - 50 g;
• olive oil - 50 ml;
• bell pepper (medium size) - 2 pcs.;
• onion - 1 pc.;
• chili pepper - 1 pc.;
• tomatoes - 300 g;
• garlic - 2 cloves;
• tomato paste - 500 ml;
• fresh cilantro - 1 bunch;
• s alt and pepper to taste.

Regular beans should be soaked overnight in enough water, then dried. The peculiarity of the preparation of this dish lies in a special stage - scalding with boiling water. Beans need to be scalded, dried and washed in cold water. Then pour water and cook, without closing the lid, over high heat for 10 minutes. Then simmer covered over low heat until soft (30-40 minutes).

Adzuki beans and lentils are prepared in a similar way in a separate saucepan, the cooking time for these ingredients is reduced to 12-15 and 20-25 minutes, respectively. Dry all the beans and set aside.

In a thick-walled pan in heated olive oil, fry the onion, red pepper and chili, garlic until soft. This takes about five minutes. Sprinkle the vegetables on top with chili powder and s alt. Then add all the legumes, tomatoes and tomato paste, simmer the mixture for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. It should become thick in consistency. At the end of cooking, add chopped cilantro.

Anko recipe

This is a very unusual delicacy popular in Japan and China. To prepare it, you will need:

• adzuki beans - 200g;
• white sugar - 200 g;
• s alt - one pinch.

Beans are recommended to soak overnight in water. After 8-12 hours, you can start cooking. Fill the beans with water 4-5 cm above the surface andbring to a boil over high heat, then add liquid again and simmer for about an hour. Cooked beans should be easy to crush with your fingers.

Sugar is poured into the semi-prepared paste in three stages, while the fire must be strong, and the mixture must be constantly stirred. Add s alt. The pasta is ready when the bottom is exposed for 3-4 seconds while stirring. Turn off the heat, let the mixture cool down a bit and put it into serving bags if you don't plan to use it right away. Bean paste will last up to a week in the refrigerator and up to one month in the freezer.

Very much depends on the cooking time. As you can see in the photo, the consistency of this is completely different. However, like the original names. In the photo above, on the left is tsibuan, and on the right is koshian (more pasty mass). Try different options and choose the best for you!

Mochi - Japanese dessert

Ingredients:

• adzuki beans - 300g;
• rice flour - 250g;
• corn starch - 250g;
• s alt - one pinch;
• sugar - 100 g;
• powdered sugar - 200 g;
• water - 250g

Beans should be boiled for 45 minutes with the addition of 100 g of sugar. Allow the mixture to cool and puree it, or go the extra mile and make the bean paste from the previous recipe.

Mix powdered sugar, rice flour and starch in a special bowl, then add water and microwave at the highest power1-2 minutes. Time is individual and depends on many indicators. Ideally, you should get a smooth, soft, elastic and sticky mass, but not slippery.

From the resulting dough, make cakes and put bean paste inside, then form a ball, as shown in the photo above, and roll it in powdered sugar.

This is an unusual Japanese dessert - mochi. You can experiment with toppings and toppings, using pistachios, persimmons, sesame seeds, etc.