The adzuki bean is a tiny, reddish-brown bean with a cream coloured seam and a sweet, nutty flavour. In Japanese cookery, they are the most widely used legume, second only to soya beans.
A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY
Widely cultivated in north-east Asia, they are especially popular in Asian cooking – most often used for sweet dishes including soups, desserts and as a filling for dim sum. In Japan and China, they are often cooked, puréed and mixed with sugar to make a chocolate-like paste, which is used to fill cakes and desserts.
WHAT MAKES THEM SO HEALTHY?
In Japan, the adzuki bean is regarded as the king of beans. Prized for their health-giving properties, they are said to be beneficial to the liver and kidneys.
