Serves 4.

Ingredients

250 g/8 oz/1 cup adzuki beans
2 tablespoons oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1 carrot, finely diced
1 stick celery, diced
1 tablespoon Japanese soy sauce
1 tablespoon miso

Directions

Wash the beans and soak overnight. Drain, rinse and put into a pan with 1.5 litres/3 pints/6 cups fresh water and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for about 1 hour or until tender.

In another pan heat oil and cook the onions, garlic, carrot and celery over low heat for 10 minutes, covered. Add the beans and extra boiling water if liquid has reduced too much. Add the soy sauce. In a small bowl thin the miso with some of the hot liquid, then stir in.

Recipe excerpted from Encyclopedia of Asian Food by Charmaine Solomon (Periplus Editions, 1998)