Adzuki Beans with Black Rice

I hope I don't turn any readers away by featuring cilantro in my first photo.

My current food obsession is black rice. I was first introduced to it at Sushi Pure. It's purple when cooked, and I was completely smitten when purple sushi arrived at our table. I mean, purple sushi! It was like my birthday or something. Actually, it might have been my birthday, because I pretty much always have sushi on my birthday, but anyway. It's kind of sweet and has this great chewy texture. When I learned how healthy it is, my crush evolved to full-out love.

Sushi Pure's Spicy Tuna Roll (photo from FoodSpotting.com)

In my ongoing research for ingredients that are low in calories but high in nutrition, adzuki (also spelled azuki) beans came up. I learned that these are the sweet red beans used in Japanese desserts, including red bean ice cream, which I've been obsessed with since I was a kid. But since turning them into ice cream probably negates the health benefits, I searched for a more nutritious recipe. And I chose this one as a starting point for my first adventure with adzuki beans.

I got these at the Asian market, but they're also in the bulk bins at Market of Choice.

Sometimes when I'm feeling ambitious, I chop vegetables for the next day's meals. There's something so satisfying about a big tupperware of chopped vegetables waiting for me in the refrigerator, and it takes the hard work out of the cooking process when that time comes. In a bout of productivity, this was the scene the day before.

I almost always buy red onion. Again with the purpleness.

This was actually my first time peeling and cutting a butternut squash from scratch. I decided that if I was going be a real pseudo-foodie, it was time to stop buying it pre-cubed from Trader Joe's. After a few minutes of peeling, I followed the internet's advice and microwaved it for 4 minutes to soften it a bit. This made the peeling process easier, and I didn't shed any blood, but I think I'll be returning to Trader Joe's next time. Or at the very least, buying a better peeler.

Cute but worthless.

There was one unfamiliar ingredient in this recipe - kombu (also spelled konbu). I considered leaving it out, but after reading that it helps in the digestion of the beans, in addition to adding another layer of umami, I picked some up at the Asian market. 

I foresee some other kombu-based recipes in my future to use up this package.

With my pre-chopped vegetables, the meal was super easy to put together.

Mmm, spicy vegetables.

Crack the lid on your rice pot, or it will spatter starchy purple water everywhere.

Done! The house smells amazing.

It was delicious! I love the depth of the miso and kombu combined with the kick of the spices, the brightness of the vinegar and cilantro, and the sweetness of the black rice. I like that the adzuki beans are small, because I'm not a big fan of the texture of beans when they're large. (My parents can attest to this, having witnessed many a temper tantrum over lima beans.)

It's a great feel-good meal. Rice, beans, and veggies leave me feeling so energized, especially when they're this delicious.

My one complaint was that by the time the beans got soft, the veggies were almost falling apart. Next time, I think I'd chop the veggies smaller so that they become more of an intentional mush. That would be good. A dab of plain yogurt would also make a good accompaniment.

The Recipe:

1 small red onion, minced

2 stalks celery, diced

4 carrots, diced

1 inch of ginger root, minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 small tomato, diced

1 butternut squash, cubed

1 c adzuki beans, soaked for 2 hours, drained and rinsed

1 c black rice, also soaked for 2 hours and then cooked in pot with 2c water

1 piece kombu

1 tb miso paste (or one soup packet's worth)

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp coriander

1/2 tsp turmeric

pinch cinnamon

pinch cayenne

1 tsp vinegar (I used red wine vinegar)

Salt, to taste

1 tb Olive oil

3 c water

1/2 c cilantro, minced, plus more for garnish

• Saute the onion, celery, and carrots in olive oil about 5 minutes
• Add spices, ginger, and garlic, and saute another minute
• Add squash, beans, tomato, kombu, miso, and water, and bring to a boil
• Reduce to a simmer and cook until beans are tender, about 2 hours
• Season generously with salt, to taste
• Stir in vinegar and cilantro
• Serve over black rice and garnish with additional cilantro

The Verdict:

Overall grade: A-

Overall reason: So many layers of flavor!

Time to prepare: About 30 minutes of actual work, plus waiting time (2 hours to cook, 2 hours of soaking)

Husband quote: "Adzuki beans? Those aren't real. Are they magical?"