Sekihan

Namiko Hirasawa Chen presents sekihan as red-bean rice for celebrations in Japan, including birthdays, graduations, weddings and New Year. Her selected preparation uses Japanese short-grain glutinous rice without a regular-rice blend.

The azuki beans are rinsed and boiled once in a separate water portion, which is discarded. They then cook in fresh water until still somewhat firm, before the beans and their liquid cool.

That second cooking liquid is reserved and measured for cooking the rice, with water added only if needed. The glutinous rice is gently rinsed and drained before joining the same liquid and kosher salt.

For the selected rice-cooker method, the beans are spread on top rather than stirred through. The rice rests covered after cooking, then is gently lifted and cut through with a rice paddle.

Toasted black sesame and a separate portion of kosher salt make the gomashio sprinkled over the rice. The author describes chewy, toothsome grains with bean fragrance and says sekihan is often served at room temperature.