Cooking with fresh azuki leaves
Azuki leaves are eaten young and always cooked. Their taste is reminiscent of mild leafy vegetables.
1. Azuki leaves sautéed with garlic
Ingredients (2 to 3 servings)
200g of fresh (young) azuki leaves
1 to 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil or sesame oil
1 to 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
Salt, to taste
Preparation
Rinse the leaves thoroughly.
Blanch for 2 minutes in boiling water, then drain.
Sauté the garlic in oil over low heat.
Add the leaves, season lightly with salt and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes.
Serve as a side dish.
2. Simple broth with azuki leaves
Ingredients (3 to 4 servings)
150 to 200 g of fresh azuki leaves, roughly chopped
1 L of water
1 small onion or 1 shallot, finely chopped
Salt, to taste
Preparation
Bring the water to a boil.
Add the onion and the leaves.
Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
Add salt and serve hot.
Cooking fresh azuki beans (green pods)
Harvested young, azuki pods are cooked like green beans.
3. Fresh pan-fried azuki beans
Ingredients (2 to 4 servings)
400 to 500 g of fresh azuki beans
1 to 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil or butter
Salt and pepper, to taste
Preparation
Remove the stems from the cloves.
Blanch for 3 to 4 minutes in boiling water, then drain.
Fry in a pan with the fat for 5 to 7 minutes.
Season and serve.
4. Fresh steamed azuki beans
Ingredients (2 to 4 servings)
400 to 500 g of fresh azuki beans
Salt, to taste
Preparation
Steam the cloves for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender.
Add a little salt and serve as an accompaniment to simple dishes.
Cooking with (dried) azuki beans
5. Traditionally simmered Azuki beans
Ingredients (4 servings)
1 cup (200 g) dried azuki beans
4 to 5 cups (1 to 1.25 L) of water
Salt, to taste
Preparation
Soak the grains for 8 to 12 hours. Drain and rinse.
Cook in plenty of water for 45 to 60 minutes, until tender.
Add salt at the end of cooking.
Serve as a main course or as a side dish.
6. Nourishing Azuki Bean Soup
Ingredients (4 to 6 servings)
3 cups of cooked azuki beans
5 to 6 cups (1.25 to 1.5 L) of water or broth
1 medium onion, chopped
1 to 2 carrots or turnips, diced
Preparation
Sauté the onion in a little oil or water.
Add the cooked vegetables and azuki beans.
Cover with water or broth.
Simmer for about 30 minutes.
Season to taste.
7. Simple azuki bean puree
Ingredients (4 servings)
3 cups of cooked azuki beans
½ to 1 cup of cooking water (depending on the desired texture)
Salt or honey, to taste (depending on whether it's for savory or sweet use).
Preparation
Blend the still-warm azuki beans with a little of the cooking water.
Adjust the texture and seasoning.
Use as a savory or slightly sweet base.
Traditional sweet recipe with azuki
Sweet azuki bean paste (traditional Anko)
This ancient preparation showcases the natural beauty of the azuki bean. It has been passed down for centuries as a nourishing and comforting staple.
Ingredients
250g of dried azuki beans
Water (enough for cooking)
120 to 180 g of sugar (to taste)
1 pinch of salt
Preparation
Rinse the azuki beans and soak them for 8 to 12 hours.
Drain, cover with fresh water and bring to a boil.
Cook over low heat for 45 to 60 minutes, until the grains are very tender.
Drain, reserving a little of the cooking water.
Crush the azuki beans while they are still hot or roughly blend them.
Return to low heat, add the sugar and a pinch of salt.
Mix slowly until a smooth or slightly textured paste is obtained.
Adjust the consistency with a little cooking water if necessary.
Uses
Simple spread
Topping for breads, pancakes or pastries
Base for traditional or contemporary desserts
More rustic variant (whole texture)
It is possible to leave the grains whole, simply sweetened and slightly syrupy. This older version was eaten as is, with a spoon, or served with cereal.
