Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (200g) Adzuki beans (dried)
  • 6 cups (1.4L) Water (for boiling beans), divided
  • 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
  • 3 cups (600g) Glutinous rice (sweet rice), also called mochigome
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) Adzuki Bean Cooking Liquid (from the adzuki beans)
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) Water
  • 1/4 tsp Sea Salt (or to taste)
  • Sesame seeds (optional)
  • Sesame salt (Gomashio) (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Rinse the adzuki beans. Combine beans, 4 cups water, and baking soda in the large pot. Soak overnight (8 hours).
  2. Drain the soaked beans and rinse. Add the beans to the pot with 2 cups of fresh water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45-60 minutes, or until the beans are tender but not mushy. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface.
  3. Drain the adzuki beans, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Set the beans and liquid aside. Add salt and mix.
  4. Rinse the sweet rice until the water runs clear. Soak the rice in water for at least 8 hours (overnight is best).
  5. Drain the soaked sweet rice. In the rice cooker (or pot), combine the drained rice, reserved adzuki bean cooking liquid, water, and salt. Stir well.
  6. Spread the cooked adzuki beans evenly over the top of the rice. Cook according to your rice cooker's instructions for sweet rice (or sticky rice setting). If cooking on the stovetop, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 20-25 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked through.
  7. If cooking on the stovetop, turn off the heat and let the rice steam, covered, for 10 minutes before fluffing.
  8. Gently fluff the rice with a rice paddle or fork, being careful not to mash the beans. Serve warm, garnished with sesame seeds or sesame salt (gomashio).