Aduki beans

Aduki beans are highly prized by the Chinese for their goodness, the cooking liquid is considered by some to be a tonic for the kidneys.

The dried beans are a red-brown colour, small and shiny with a slightly sweet, earthy flavour.

Usage:

It's often difficult to imagine what quantity of dried beans will make up a certain cooked quantity. The easiest rule of thumb is that cooked beans will approximately double in weight from dried, so for example 100g of dried beans will produce about 200g of cooked beans, and this follows through for all dried beans.

Cooking:

The process should be started the day before they are needed for use.

Put the required weight of dried aduki beans in a large container and cover with approximately 2 litres of cold fresh water, leave to soak for at least 8-10 hours, preferably overnight.

Rinse the soaked beans thoroughly in fresh cold water and put in a saucepan for cooking with plenty of fresh cold unsalted water. Bring the water to the boil and then boil the aduki beans vigorously for the amount of time recommended on the packet, removing the foam that accumulates regularly with a slotted spoon.

After the boiling period, turn the beans down to simmer and leave simmering for the recommended time on the manufacturers packet. Check that the beans are tender before removing from the heat at the end of the simmering period. Rinse in cold water, drain and the aduki beans are then ready for use.

Warning:

The cooking instructions on the manufacturers packet must be followed exactly. The boiling period specified on the packet is vitally important as some dried beans and pulses contain a toxin. This toxin can cause severe gastro-enteritis unless the boiling period is carried out. Canned beans are safe to use from the can as they have been prepared correctly before being canned.

Storing:

Dried aduki beans should be stored in an airtight container.

Cooked aduki beans can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days, or frozen in the freezer for up to six months. If freezing they should be thoroughly rinsed in fresh cold water and then well drained before packing into freezer bags or airtight containers.

Alternative names:

Adzuki beans
Red dragon
Red wonder

Nutritional information:

Typical values per 100g of product (cooked aduki beans)
Energy - 128 kcal
Protein - 8g
Carbohydrate (total) - 25g
Fat (total) - 0g
Fat (saturated) - 0g
Dietary fibre - 7g