Organic adzuki beans.

Adzuki beans are small, deep red beans with a soft, slightly sweet taste. They cook more quickly than many larger beans and turn tender and a little floury. In East Asia they are best known in sweet dishes, but they are just as good in rice, soups and stews.

Ways to use it

• Simmer with a little sugar until soft, then mash into a sweet red bean paste for buns, pancakes and desserts.
• Add to a sweet soup with coconut milk, or serve over shaved ice.
• Cook together with rice for a pink-tinted pot of rice.
• Add to vegetable soups and stews for body and a soft texture.
• Cool cooked beans and toss with chopped vegetables and a simple dressing for a salad.

To cook them, pick over the beans, rinse, and soak in plenty of water for several hours or overnight. Drain, cover with fresh water and simmer gently for about 45 to 60 minutes, until the beans are tender. Soaking is not strictly required, but it shortens the cooking time. Add salt or sugar near the end.

Storing it

Keep the pack sealed in a cool, dry cupboard, away from sunlight. After opening, pour the beans into a jar with a tight lid. Cooked beans keep in the fridge in a covered container for a few days.

Where it comes from

Grown to certified organic standards. The certificate for each lot is shown when you trace your pack.

Every pack will carry a lot code. Enter it on the Trace your pack page and you will see the farms in that lot, the packing date and the certificate.