Legume
Adzuki Bean
Adzuki (azuki) is a small red bean central to East Asian sweets and also used in savoury rice dishes. When cooked and sweetened it becomes anko paste for mochi, dorayaki, and mooncakes; unsweetened it is nutty and slightly sweet. Whole dried beans, sweet pastes, and flours are the main forms. Compared with common beans it cooks relatively quickly after soaking.
Also known as: Azuki, Hong dou, Pat
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Breeds, cuts & preparations
Variety
Black AdzukiDainagonErimoGreen AdzukiRed AdzukiVigna angularisWhite Adzuki
Source
Indoor FarmedOutdoor FarmedWild
Provenance
BiodynamicDry FarmedFair TradeHeirloomLocally GrownNon-GMOOrganicRegenerativeSeasonalSingle Origin
Preparation
BoiledCannedChilledDriedFermentedFlourFreshFriedFrozenGroundHulledMashedPickledPowderPureedRoastedSaltedSoakedSplitSproutedSteamedWhole
CommonCharacteristic
Chestnut-likeCreamyDelicateEarthyMildNuttySoftSweet
History
CN
Adzuki beans were domesticated in East Asia as food and ceremonial pulse crops.
JP
Japanese confectionery traditions elevated sweet red-bean paste as a cultural staple.
JP
Anko and sekihan (red bean rice) fixed adzuki in everyday and festive Japanese cookery.
Dried adzuki and canned sweet pastes entered global Asian grocery trade.