Azuki BeaN Sweet Rice Dessert

I told you last week that Chef Azuki would teach us to prepare azuki bean "an" from scratch.  I never make anything from scratch, but I might just give this a try.  I like it that you can alter the amount of sugar you put in and play with the amount of water to create the consistency you desire for different types of desserts.

Azuki Bean Sweet Rice Dessert

Ingredients:
1 C sweet rice
1 C Azuki Beans (dry)
4 C water (twice) + extra if needed
2/3 C sugar

Directions:
1.  Soak beans for two hours in 4 C of water in a small pot
2.  In a rice cooker prepare rice according to package.  If you want it like rice pudding add half cup        extra water.
3. After 2 hours of soaking the beans remove any floating particles,  drain and put in another four cups of water in the pot.
4. Cook on medium heat for 1-2 hours, stirring it occasionally
5.  Add more water if it looks like it's evaporating too much
6.  Keep stirring and add sugar, gradually pouring it in as you stir constantly
7.  Heat to desired consistency
8.  Remove the pot from the heat and lightly grind the beans in a food processor, if desired
9.  Remove the rice from the rice cooker
10. Allow both to briefly cool and then mix together


You can use these beans for this sweet rice dessert, for the manju dessert from last week, or you can even pour over shaved ice with a little condensed milk for kintoki shaved ice. Chef Azuki and I both remember our moms making inverted manju with the rice in a ball and the "an" on the outside.  The ideas are simmering!   I'm sure you can think of more delicious treats.  Try it, you'll like it!

BeaNspirations:  Sometimes it's good to take your time and let your ideas simmer!

Azuki BeaN's Manju

Hello Friends!  Hope you had a nice Easter Sunday!  Chef Azuki had a nice time with her little BeaN creating a special treat for us all.   Try this special dessert!

Azuki BeaN Manju

Ingredients:
1 cup butter (softened)
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 C flour
1/8 tsp almond extract
8 oz Azuki BeaN paste ("tsubushian") or 1/2 can ("an") or you can make your own.
1 egg (beaten)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2.  Lightly spray a baking pan or cookie sheet with non stick cooking spray
3.  In a bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer, then slowly add flour and
     then almond extract
4.  Take a small amount of dough and form 2 inch balls, then flatten
5.  Place 1-2 tsp of "an" in the center
6.  Fold the dough over and pinch into an oval shape.
7.  Place the seam side down on the baking sheet ( smooth side up)
8.  Brush the tops with egg
9.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown

What a treat!  Delicious with tea! Love that almond flavor!  We will post our recipe for homemade "an" soon.  Our little BeaNs were home for Spring Break so we've been busy Mamas!  They go back to school tomorrow.

BeaNspirations:
Family time is a special time to create magic!

Happy Spring!!!!!

The Azuki BeaN Mamas wish you and yours a Happy Spring Holiday!!!!!!!  Our children are off for spring break so we're taking the week off and will resume our recipes next week.

Fun Fondant Cupcakes

What does Chef Azuki do to make her church bake sale spectacular?  With just some fondant, her cookie cutters, and of course, her great imagination, she  created these wild 'n wonderful creations!   This was her first time using the ready made fondant and she just rolled it out and cut out the shapes with the Japanese cutters she had and some other cookie cutters.  It reminds me of playing with playdough with the kids.  Fun, fun, fun!

Fun Fondant Cupcakes

BeaNspiration:  Have an extraordinary day creating fun wherever you go!

Bachan's Potato Salad

It amazes me how some foods just bring back memories from childhood.  Who remembers potato  salad at Japanese American potlucks.  Every family may have a little different variation, but at most family gatherings our aunts or mother made their version of the Japanese-style Potato Salad.  Now our moms and aunts are the Bachan's  (Grandmother's) of the family.  We remember and want to devour more of your delicious Potato Salad.   For those of you that have never had it, try it!

Bachan's Potato Salad

Ingredients:
5 medium potatoes
2 boiled eggs
1 Japanese cucumber
1/4 C light mayo
1/4 tsp seasoned salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 medium dill pickle

Directions
1.  Boil potatoes in a pot
2.  Boil eggs in another pot
3.  Let potatoes and eggs cool
4.  Slice eggs
5.  Slice cucumbers
6.  Chop the pickle
7.  Toss together with mayonnaise and season with salt and pepper

This is the perfect side dish for spring.  Thanks Chef Azuki for bringing back a family favorite!

BeaNspiration:  Reintroduce family favorites at your next reunion!

Spicy Cucumbers

Sometimes you want some tsukemono (Japanese pickled vegetables) or kim chee (spicy cabbage) with your dinner, but just don't have time to make it or go to the Asian market. I actually never attempted to make tsukemono, but remember my mom getting out a contraption that she put the vegetables in and then she set a huge rock on top to smash it together, as it soaked for days.  Maybe we'll have to get Chef Azuki to show us how to do this one day, but for today, let's go for something a bit less menacing. This delicious recipe is easy enough for me to attempt and I love that she adds a little heat to the cool cucumbers.

Spicy Cucumbers

Ingredients:

3 Japanese Cucumbers

1 tsp salt

1 T memmi

1 T seasoned rice vinegar

1/4 tsp sesame oil

1/8 tsp crushed red pepper

Directions:  

1.  Slice cucumbers diagonally

2.  Soak the cucumbers in water with 1 tsp of salt for 30 minutes

3.  Rinse off the cucumbers

4.  Add memmi, seasoned rice vinegar, sesame oil, and crushed red peppers to cucumber

5.  Toss together

The heat of the crushed red peppers adds a little fire to this refreshing side dish.  It's a perfect compliment to any Asian entree.

BeaNspiration:  Embrace your yin and yang!

Corn Beef and Vegetables in the Crock Pot

Happy St. Patrick's Day all!  Hope you enjoyed a fun day and delicious meal!  I had a great day with Chef Azuki, preparing a one pot meal of corn beef and vegetables for our families.  In our crock pot, we kept to our "Recipes with an Asian Flair" by using Japanese beer and Napa cabbage in our traditional corn beef meal.  My family loved it; so, thank you so much Chef Azuki for letting me come over with my crock pot to start cooking this meal and for sharing this easy recipe with me!  We got a little delayed with all the festivities but wanted to share this recipe with you tonight.

Corn Beef and Vegetables in the Crock Pot

Ingredients:
1 (4 lb.) corned beef brisket package
4 cups of water
6 oz of Japanese beer
14 baby carrots
10 baby potaotes ( whole or quartered depending on size)
1 onion cut into bite sized pieces
3 celery stalks cut at a diagonal
1/2 Napa Cabbage chopped

Directions:
1.  Place brisket in crock pot with 4 cups of water.
2.  Add 6 oz or half a bottle of beer
3.  If your brisket comes with a season packet, add the contents into crock pot
4. Cover and set crock pot on high for 6 hours
5.  Reduce to low for 1 1/2 hours
6.  Add carrots, potatoes, onion, celery and cabbage to crock pot for the last hour
7.  Plate onto platter and dig in!

It's great to celebrate with the family and fun to cook with friends!

BeaNspiration:  Share good times with friends and family!