Best Japanese Adzuki Bean Salad Recipes

Japanese Adzuki-Bean Salad image

Provided by Martha Stewart

Number Of Ingredients 12

1 pound dried adzuki beans
Salt
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice-wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon wasabi paste (Japanese horseradish), optional
Freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
3 tablespoons safflower or corn oil
Hijiki or nori seaweed, for garnish
1 bunch tatsoi (a Japanese green) or watercress
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
Sliced scallions, for garnish

Steps:

Put beans in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water by 2 inches. Bring to a strong boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until tender, about 1 hour. Add more boiling water if needed to maintain water level. When beans are tender, add salt to taste, and cook a few minutes longer. Drain and let cool.
Whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, wasabi, and pepper. Slowly whisk in oils. Combine with beans and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Rinse hijiki well in cold water. Soak for 20 minutes, drain, soak again for 1 minute, and rinse again. Set aside.
Arrange tatsoi on plates. Mix beans with cucumber and divide among plates. Garnish with hijiki and scallions.

Azuki Bean and Vegetable Salad in Pita Bread image

Yield Serves 6

Number Of Ingredients 12

1/2 cup dried azuki beans* or lentils, picked over and rinsed
3 carrots, cut into 1/4-inch dice
3 large broccoli stems, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 ribs celery, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 small red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 cup coarsely grated provolone cheese (about 2 ounces)
3 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 pita loaves, halved crosswise
*available at natural foods stores and some specialty foods shops

Steps:

In a small saucepan combine beans with water to cover by 2 inches and simmer until tender, about 45 minutes for azuki beans or about 15 minutes for lentils. In a sieve drain beans and rinse. Drain beans well and transfer to a bowl.
In a large saucepan of boiling salted water blanch carrots 1 minute and add broccoli stems. Blanch carrot mixture 2 minutes and drain in sieve. Rinse vegetables under cold water until cool and drain well. Add blanched vegetables to beans with celery, bell pepper, parsley, garlic, and provolone.
In a small bowl whisk together vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Add oil in a stream, whisking, and whisk until emulsified. Pour dressing over bean mixture and toss well. Salad may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
Serve salad in pita halves.