Sweet Aduki Bean Soup with Rice Cakes
Don't assume from the word soup that this is a savoury dish — Zenzai is actually a classic and popular Japanese dessert, served with the ready-to-eat rice cakes (mochi) that are sold in Japanese supermarkets. Japanese green tea makes a good accompaniment.
Ingredients
- 165g / 5½ oz / scant 1 cup dried aduki beans
- 225g / 8oz / 1 cup sugar
- pinch of salt
- 4 ready-to-eat rice cakes (mochi)
Preparation
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- Put the aduki beans in a strainer, wash them under cold running water, then drain them and tip them into a large pan. Add 1 litre / 1¾ pints / 4 cups water and bring to the boil. Drain the aduki beans and return them to the rinsed out pan.
- Add a further 1.2 litres / 2 pints / 5 cups water to the pan and bring to the boil, then add a further 1.2 litres / 2 pints / 5 cups water and bring to the boil again. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes until the beans are soft.
- Skim the surface of the broth regularly to remove any scum, if left, it would give the soup an unpleasant bitter taste.
- When the beans are soft enough to be mashed between your fingers, add half the sugar and simmer for a further 20 minutes.
- Add the remaining sugar and the salt to the pan, stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved.
- Heat the grill, then grill both sides of the rice cakes until softened, but not browned. Add the rice cakes to the soup and bring to the boil. Serve the soup immediately in deep warmed bowls.
Serves 4.