Japanese
Vegan
Gluten freeAzuki-gayu (red bean rice porridge)
Soft rice porridge tinted pink with adzuki beans, eaten on 15 January
On Koshōgatsu, the 'little New Year' of 15 January, households across Japan eat a bowl of azuki-gayu in the morning; the red of the adzuki beans has long been thought to drive away evil and illness for the year ahead. It is a plain, comforting dish: rice cooked slowly until the grains burst, stained soft pink by the bean cooking water, with the beans themselves floury and tender. It is lightly salted rather than sweet, as it is traditionally eaten. Serve with umeboshi, a sprinkle of sesame salt or a few toasted mochi pieces dropped in at the end. Chef's tip: throw away the first boiling water of the beans to lose their bitterness, but keep the second; that is where the pink colour comes from.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 70 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Serves
- 4
- Per serving
- 210 kcal
Ingredients
- 2 ⅞ oz dried adzuki beansrinsed
- 5 ½ cups waterdivided
- 5 ½ oz Japanese short-grain ricerinsed and drained
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp black sesame salt (gomashio) (optional)to serve
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Put 2 ⅞ oz dried adzuki beans in a pan with 400 ml of the 1 ¾ cups water, bring to the boil over high heat and boil for 2 minutes, then drain and discard the water.
6 minStep 2: Return the beans to the pan with the rest of the 3 ¾ cups water, bring back to the boil, then cover and simmer over low heat for 35–40 minutes, until a bean squashes easily between your fingers.
38 minStep 3: Drain the beans over a bowl, keeping all the deep red liquid. Measure it and top up with water to 1 litre if needed.
2 minStep 4: Put 5 ½ oz Japanese short-grain rice and the bean liquid in a heavy pan, bring to the boil over medium heat, stir once to stop the rice sticking, then lower the heat until it barely bubbles.
6 minStep 5: Cook with the lid slightly ajar for 20 minutes without stirring, until the grains have opened and the porridge is thick and soft pink. Common mistake: stirring often, which makes the porridge gluey instead of soft and flowing.
20 minStep 6: Fold in the beans and 1 tsp salt and heat for 2 more minutes. Let it stand covered off the heat for 5 minutes, then ladle into bowls and sprinkle with 2 tsp black sesame salt (gomashio).
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 210 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 44 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does azuki-gayu (red bean rice porridge) take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 70 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of japanese short-grain rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
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