Sekihan (red bean rice)

Step 1: Rinse 2 ½ oz dried adzuki beans, cover with 300 ml of 1 ¼ cups water and bring to the boil. Boil for 2 minutes, then drain and discard the water, which takes away harsh, bitter flavours.

Step 2: Return the beans to the pan with the remaining 2 ½ cups water and simmer over a low heat for 25–30 minutes, until you can just crush a bean between two fingers but it still holds its shape. Common mistake: simmering until the beans burst. Split beans make the rice mushy and are traditionally avoided at celebrations.

Step 3: Drain the beans, keeping all the liquid. Ladle the liquid up high and pour it back into the bowl a dozen times until it turns a deeper wine red, then let it cool.

Step 4: Rinse 16 oz glutinous rice until the water runs nearly clear, then soak it in the cooled bean liquid for at least 4 hours or overnight in the fridge, until it is stained pink.

Step 5: Drain the rice, keeping the liquid. Mix the rice gently with the beans and spread it on a damp cloth in a steamer basket, making a dip in the middle so the steam passes through evenly.

Step 6: Steam over a high heat for 40 minutes. Every 10 minutes, mix ½ tsp salt and 1 tbsp sake into the reserved liquid and sprinkle a few spoonfuls of it over the rice, which keeps it moist and evenly coloured.

Step 7: The rice is done when the grains are translucent, chewy and soft right through with no chalky centre. Tip into a wide bowl, fold gently and cover with a cloth for 5 minutes.

Step 8: Toast 1 tbsp black sesame seeds in a dry pan over a low heat for 2 minutes until fragrant, then mix with ½ tsp salt. Scatter over the rice to serve; covered, sekihan keeps at cool room temperature for the day, or chill and resteam to soften.