Sekihan - Azuki Bean Rice

Prep Time: 5 minutes. Cook Time: 40 minutes. Total Time: 45 minutes. Course: Rice, Rice dish. Cuisine: Japanese. Keyword: azuki bean, azuki bean rice, sekihan. Servings: 6 people. Calories: 240 kcal. Author: Chopstick Chronicles.

Instructions for Instapot

1. Wash the azuki beans and drain out the water.
2. Add 2 1/2 cups of water and the azuki beans in a pressure cooker. Close and lock the lid and set the Instapot.
3. Press [Pressure cook] then use the [+] [-] button to set 10 minutes and press [Pressure level] button to set low pressure. *1
4. While pressure cooking the azuki beans, wash the glutinous rice and drain the water.
5. When the pressure cooking time is up, release the pressure instantly, by pressing [Cancel] on the front panel and then turning the steam release on the lid to "Venting" position.
6. Open the lid and scoop up the water with a ladle and pour it back in. Continue this step a few times to make sure the colour comes out later in the rice.
7. Add the washed rice and the salt. Close and lock the lid and set the instantpot.
8. Press [Pressure cook] then use the [+] [-] button to set 3 minutes and press [Pressure level] button to set low.
9. When time is up, let the Instapot continue to cook using the cooker's residual heat and steam by pressing [Cancel] and wait for the pressure to come down naturally (takes about 20 minutes).
10. Once all the pressure has released, stir the rice (without mashing or over-mixing) then serve with the sprinkled black sesame!

Instructions for pressure cooker

1. Wash the azuki beans and drain out the water.
2. Add 2 1/2 cups of water and the azuki beans in a pressure cooker, lock the lid and cook over high heat.
3. When the pressure indicator pin rises, turn the heat down to low and cook for 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, wash the glutinous rice and drain water.
5. Release the pressure in the cooker rapidly (as per the instructions of your pressure cooker).
6. Open the lid and scoop up the water with a ladle and pour it back in. Continue this step a few times to make sure the colour comes out later in the rice.
7. Add the rice and the salt and put the lid back on and cook it over high heat and wait for the pressure pin to rise again.
8. Once the pin rises, turn the heat down to low and leave for 3 minutes.
9. Turn the heat off and allow the pressure to release naturally.
10. Once all the pressure has released, stir the rice (without mashing or over-mixing) then serve with the sprinkled black sesame!

Video: https://www.chopstickchronicles.com/sekihan-azuki-bean-rice/

Notes *1 Make sure the steam release handle is set to "Sealing". *2 For pressure cooker user the instruction is exactly same except how to set the Instapot. *3 Adding salt order is important. Do not add the salt to the azuki bean. The salt makes azuki bean firm and will not be cooked properly.