Zenzai - Dango in Azuki

Ingredients

• 1 cup azuki beans
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 (16 ounce) box mochiko sweet rice flour

Directions

1. 1

   Pick over and wash the azuki, then put them in a pan with 6 cups of water. Bring to boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 2 hours until the beans are soft.

2. 2

   Add more water to the pan to make the liquid up to 5 cups (some of the water will have evaporated during cooking). Add the sugar and salt and cook for 15 minutes , stirring occasionally.

3. 3

   Meanwhile, make the dumplings : Mix the mochiko with enough water to make a stiff dough. Knead well, then pinch off tiny portions to form small balls, about the size of marbles. Make a small indentation in the side of each dumpling.

4. 4

   Bring the azuki soup back to the boil, then drop the dumplings into the soup. Cook until the dumplings rise to the surface. Divide between warmed individual bowls. Serve hot.