When looking into the background of azuki, azuki has been used to treat “kakke.” (Old Japanese medical term used for vitamin B1 deficiency.) Azuki is also noted for its red color, the color that brings good fortune, and used in celebratory dishes such as red bean rice & azuki porridge. (Served in petit-New Year) It is unexpected that azuki was used to treat kakke but for red bean rice, you can’t go without azuki. In modern days, azuki porridge is served during petit-New Year (January 15th) to relieve the stomach, stressed out from all the New Year dishes. It has a very soothing taste to it.

Other examples of dishes that use azuki are “Itoko-ni” (Cousin boil). It is a dish where azuki and pumpkin are boiled together and believed that one will not catch a cold if it is eaten during winter solstice. Japanese often eat azuki during the shifting of the season because in ancient Japan, the red color of the azuki was believed to possess the power to repel evil. It is hard to imagine from its looks but azuki possess beneficial effects for our body as well. It is said to be effective in relieving fatigue, stiff shoulders, muscular pain, diarrhea, swelling, summer exhaustion, and high-blood pressure. With such wonderful effects, it is worth eating azuki through out the whole year.

When using azuki in Japanese-style confectionery, it is called “tsubu-an” or “koshi-an.” My American friend questioned me about why it is called two different ways. Both types of azuki paste are made with same process until the azuki is boiled. “Koshi-an” is made by straining the boiled azuki through a strainer, to remove the azuki skin, and it is finished off by straining it through a cloth

An-ko is made by boiling koshi-an with addition of sugar. In the Japanese food culture, tsubu-an is also used for cooking and anko is mainly used for Japanese-style confectionery.Azuki are very familiar beans to the Japanese. Today, the word azuki is even commonly used in English. Please give azuki a try for its taste and charms.