Red Bean Paste
Updated February 23, 2016 
Cookbook
Eating Korean: From Barbecue to Kimchi, Recipes from My Home
Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Although I’m not a huge fan of red bean, it is an essential ingredient in many Korean sweets. You can buy canned sweetened red bean paste, but as with all things, homemade tastes much better.
CostInexpensive
Total Timea day or more
Make Ahead RecipeYes
Kid FriendlyYes
One Pot MealYes
Dietary Considerationegg-free, peanut free, soy free, tree nut free, vegan, vegetarian
Five Ingredients or LessYes
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried red beans (adzuki)
- ¾ cup sugar
- A pinch of salt
Instructions
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Place the red beans in a bowl, cover with cold water, and let sit overnight.
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The next morning, put the beans in a medium pan and add enough water so that the water level is about an inch above the beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let simmer for about an hour.
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Press the beans and the liquid through a sieve into a heavy skillet. Turn the heat up high and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Be careful when stirring, because the mixture will get very thick and sputter.
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Add the sugar and salt and continue cooking for another 10 minutes, until the mixture gets thick.
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Set aside to cool. If you’re not using it right away, place in a glass jar and refrigerate for up to a week.
2005 Cecilia Hae-Jin Lee
