Azuki

Azuki (小豆, also adzuki) is the Japanese red bean Phaseolus angularis.

Azuki beans are usually prepared by boiling the beans with sugar, resulting in a paste called an (餡). This is used in many Japanese desserts, such as

• Anmitsu (an and jelly)
• Dorayaki (red bean pancake)
• Oshiruko (red bean soup)
• Uirō (a traditional Japanese steamed cake)

The cartoon hero Anpanman is an antropomorphic bun filled with azuki bean paste.

Rice with azuki beans (赤飯 sekihan) is traditionally cooked for auspicious occasions, such as New Year. Azuki beans can also be fermented to produce amanattō.