Another hot summer weekend approaching.
This wonderful recipe is from Zen chef Avital Sebbag. Adzuki beans originated in Japan, and Avital discovered them when she studied macrobiotic cooking. The macrobiotic kitchen combines a legume with a grain or kelp to obtain a balanced meal. Adzuki beans are known to boost energy levels, contain plenty of antioxidants and vitamins, have a cool & drying energy, and help to remove excess fluids from the body, thus supporting weight loss (in addition to other measures of "dampness" in Chinese Medicine such as Diabetes, Bad Cholesterol and Hypertension). The pumpkin, as a sweet earthy vegetable, balances the cravings for sweetness.
What's in it (serves 4)?
250 grams adzuki beans
100 grams of pumpkin
Spoonful of mustard seeds
Half a cup of diced dill
One lemon juice / tablespoon of olive oil
Teaspoon of coarse Atlantic salt
How to?
1. Preparing adzuki sprouts: Soak the adzuki beans for 8 hours, transfer to a strainer or a sprouting bag. Water several times a day and strain excess water, repeating for two days or until sprouts appear.
2. The salad can be prepared in 2 variations:
Cook adzuki beans for 15 minutes/until softened, making sure beans remain intact
Without cooking! Once the bean sprout is out, it is ready to eat in a fresh form
3. Make pumpkin "matches" using a Julienne peeler or a food processor
4. Mix the sauce ingredients together and pour over the adzuki beans and pumpkin
5. Garnish with dill.
Check Avital's stunning book "Five Seasons in the Kitchen" for more recipes