Adzuki bean soup: sweet and savory options

Many people all over the world have become fans of Japanese cuisine. True, most of them prefer rolls and sushi, forgetting or not knowing that some of the most respected dishes in the Land of the Rising Sun are soups. And they are not a separate, independent and main dish, rather, they are a pleasant addition to other foods. Very interesting taste range, which has a soup of Adzuki beans. And there are quite a few cooking options for this dish.

What is Adzuki?

Any beans in themselves are useful, nutritious and tasty, because they are widely used in the first dishes, and as a side dish, and in salads. However, Adzuki beans are more known in the Far East, where China, Korea and Japan are close - the countries that cultivate and use them in cooking. Meanwhile, such beans are much more useful than other "relatives". And its taste is very different from them, because it has a sweet note. Adzuki beans are useful for stabilizing the heart, because they contain a large amount of zinc and magnesium. Folic acid, which in these beans is unimaginably large, protects the body from the onset and development of cancer. The coarse-fiber structure improves digestion. And these beans stimulate blood circulation and normalize the cholesterol content in the body. It's clear, practical Japanese could not pass by such valuable "grains." Now even in the distance from the homeland of such a useful and unusual bean, it is not difficult to buy it. Choose it is simple - be guided by the expiry date and appearance. With storage, too, there are no problems - placed in a glass jar with a tightly twisting lid, beans do not lose quality throughout the year. The main thing is to keep them dry.

The easiest adzuki bean soup

Some culinary experts believe that it is not necessary to soak them. Opinion is debatable, because in many recipes soaking is mentioned. However, in order to prepare the simplest soup from the adzuki beans, they really do not need to be kept in water. Beans are brewed for about forty minutes over a slow fire. Then it must be passed through the blender before obtaining a magnificent cream. It combines with coconut milk, herbs and spices - which you like - and it's done. If you are not sure which spices will blend in with the adzuki, try adding celery, sweet and white pepper, a little cloves, oregano, rosemary, mint and basil for the first time. And in time, if you like this cream soup of Adzuki beans, you will find your own spice composition.

Winter Japanese soup

It is called siruko. He is not the main dish, however, we note that at the end of dinner he is not served, because for this he is too full. The recipes for preparing such a sweet soup from the beans of Adzuko are great. The most used is with mochi, but it is made with chestnuts and pies. To emphasize the taste characteristics of this dish, it is often served with salted plums, sour algae or something else of the same contrast.

Prepare a sweet soup of Adzuki beans at home. For him, 130 g of beans for a night soaked in a liter of water. In the morning, in the same water, it is boiled in a saucepan with a thick bottom. When it boils, a pinch of baking powder is put in the container, the fire is reduced, and the adzuki beans are boiled for half an hour. Then another liter of water is poured in, and everything is boiled for 30 minutes. An indication of the readiness of the beans is the ability to easily crush them with your fingers. If they are still solid, cooking continues. When the beans are ready, a third of a glass of powdered sugar is poured into the pan, and in three minutes - as much. After another three minutes, the sweet soup of Adzuki beans is poured and is removed after the same time. Moti are cut in half, roasted to a golden hue, unfolded on plates, where after the soup is poured. Note: on top of the "cakes" he should not get.

Far Eastern soup

For him, by the way, adzuki beans are again soaked for the whole night (half a cup of beans plus a half of water). In the morning, three more glasses of water are added, and the beans are boiled for half an hour, along with two small pieces of kombu. Next, to get a tasty and beautiful soup with beans, the recipe advises putting the diced bulb and carrots. In ten minutes you need to pour a glass of water. When it boils, add the same decorated pumpkin (grams a hundred) and cook until it softens. It will remain salt (preferably sea salt), boil for another five minutes and pour on plates.

Bean and mushroom variant

And again, the adzuki glass should be soaked. The next day the beans are cooked simultaneously with three pieces of combo. During this time, carrots, onions, celery root and two shiitake are cleaned - all this will go to the soup with beans. The recipe also includes 6 tomatoes that are crumbled and crumbled along with the rest of the vegetables, and ideally - in olive oil. Separately it is necessary to boil water, where to add all the components. When almost ready, add spices and salt (again marine). Already when spilling on bowls in soup of Adzuki beans, you can add a little miso; But this is not necessary. Just the dish will smack of smoked products, which greatly improve the impression of it.