Sekihan (Red Bean Rice) 赤飯

Sekihan is a traditional Japanese dish of glutinous rice cooked with adzuki beans, giving it a beautiful reddish color. It is often served on celebratory occasions in Japan, symbolizing good fortune.

Nutrition (per serving)

Ingredients

• 400g Japanese short-grain glutinous rice (mochigome)
• 100g Adzuki beans
• 700ml Water (for cooking beans and rice)
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tbsp Goma-shio (roasted black sesame seeds with salt), for garnish

Steps

1. Wash the Adzuki beans. Place the Adzuki beans in a medium pot with 300ml of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then boil for 5 minutes. Drain the water.
2. Add another 300ml of fresh water to the pot with the Adzuki beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 30-40 minutes until the beans are tender but not burst. Skim off any foam. Drain the beans, reserving the cooking liquid (aim for about 200ml of liquid).
3. Wash the Japanese short-grain glutinous rice thoroughly until the water runs clear. Soak the rice in 200ml of fresh water for at least 30 minutes, then drain well.
4. In a rice cooker pot, combine the drained glutinous rice, cooked Adzuki beans, the reserved Adzuki bean cooking liquid (if less than 200ml, add water to make up the difference), and salt. Stir gently.
5. Cook the rice mixture in the rice cooker using the "white rice" or "sushi rice" setting. If steaming, steam for 30-40 minutes over high heat.
6. Once cooked, let the Sekihan steam in the pot for an additional 10-15 minutes after the cooker switches off or after steaming, with the lid on.
7. Fluff the Sekihan with a rice paddle or fork. Serve warm, garnished with Goma-shio.

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