Dried Beans

As a major source of protein, beans have always been very important ingredients in Japanese cooking and, since the days of meat prohibition, the Japanese have developed numerous ways to cook with them.

Daizu, known as soya bean in the West, features prominently in Japanese cuisine, as do black and green beans, which are part of the same family. Also as popular are azuki, also known as aduki, which first became known in the West as a health food. In Japan they are known as “king of the beans” and they are reputed to be good for the liver and kidneys. Their use in Japanese cooking is far from healthy, however, as they are almost always made into an heavily sweetened paste for use in dessert or cake making.