Sweet Red Bean Soup

In Taiwan, sweet red bean soup is a common dessert you can find everywhere, especially during freezing cold winter. According to Compendium of Materia Medica(本草綱目), red bean is beneficial for circulation system and blood-making function. It also can strengthen your kidney and stomach.

Besides serving as hot soup, the dessert is also perfect with shaved ice or/and ice cream. Shaved ice with milk and red bean(紅豆牛奶冰) is one of the most popular dessert in summer. Because of the difference in color and density, the mixture of red bean and milk naturally forms irresistable pattrens on shaved ice. When you taste it, the red bean sweetens the milk, and the milk makes the red bean juicy and easy to swallow. In the meantime, the shaved ice melts and balances the temperature. After having a bite, you will understand what I said....

Ingredients :

• 1 cup dried red azuki beans


• 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup sugar
  

Preparations :

1.Soaked azuki beans for 4 hours or overnight, drained.

2.Put azuki beans and 6 cups water in large pot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook uncovered until beans are tender.

3.Add sugar then serve it either hot or cold.