What should I serve with sekihan?

The dish is usually served on okuizome (a baby’s first meal when it is 100 days old) and shichi-go-san (a ritual for children aged 3, 5, and 7). Traditionally, sekihan is consumed with gomashio – a combination of toasted black sesame and salt.

What does sekihan taste like?

Sekihan is a type of sticky red rice served in Japan on special occasions as a traditional Japanese dish. The rice is boiled together with red “azuki” beans (the same russet-colored beans used to make the red paste found in Japanese sweets) that give it a pinkish color and slightly sweet taste.

What does red rice symbolize?

Therefore, red rice was used in the ancient divine work. Sekihan is so strongly connected with celebrations that the phrase “Let’s have sekihan” has acquired the meaning “Let’s celebrate.” It is believed that sekihan is used for celebrations because of its red color, symbolic of happiness in Japan.

How do Japanese eat adzuki beans?

Azuki Red Beans in Japanese Cuisine In Japanese cooking, Azuki beans (or Adzuki beans) are almost exclusively used in making Japanese sweets or pastries. The beans are boiled, mashed, sweetened, and then used as fillings in Daifuku Mochi, Manju, Dorayaki, Red Bean Ice Cream, Anpan, and so on.

Can I use adzuki beans for red beans and rice?

About Japanese Azuki Beans They are not only used to make red bean rice but are also widely used in Japanese sweets in the form of sweet red bean paste called ‘anko’ (あんこ), sweet red bean soup called ‘oshiruko’ (おしるこ) or ‘zenzai’ (ぜんざい).

What is sweet rice used for?

A short grain variety of white rice that sticks together when it is cooked. This variety is generally used for commercial product formulations rather than home recipes, converting the rice starch and flour into food binders for fillings, gravies and sauces.

When should I eat sekihan?

Nowadays, Sekihan is eaten at celebrations such as birth celebrations, wedding celebrations, graduation celebrations, and so on.

What is the benefits of red rice?

The major nutrient in red rice is anthocyanin, which is a health-promoting compound. It is what lends this rice a rich red colour, and also has the capacity to lower blood pressure, prevent diabetes, improve vision, and reduce cancer cells. Besides, it also has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties.

Do Japanese eat red rice?

The quintessential festive dish in Japan is sekihan (literally, “red rice”), which is served on special days throughout the year. The dish is made with short-grain or sweet mochi (sticky or glutinous) rice and red adzuki beans — the cooking liquid from the beans is what gives the dish its reddish hue.

When should I eat Sekihan?

Do adzuki beans need to be soaked before cooking?

Unlike other dried beans, there’s no need to soak adzuki beans before you cook them. Even without soaking, they typically cook in less than 90 minutes on the stove!

How do I cook dried adzuki beans?

Stovetop. Rinse beans before cooking. Place 1 cup beans in a large pot with 4 cups water and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until tender, 45–60 minutes; drain well.

What kind of rice is used in sekihan?

Sekihan (赤飯) is a dish served on special occasions throughout Japan, made of red azuki beans and sweet rice. Other names for sweet rice are mochigome, glutinous rice – and most commonly, sticky rice. Fun fact: Sekihan literally translates into ‘red rice’.

How to make sekihan red bean sticky rice?

The day before (or at least 4 hours before) you make sekihan, cook the beans and soak the rice in the red bean-cooking liquid (through Step 4): In a small saucepan, combine the dried beans and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, then cook for 1 minute.

How to make sweet rice with azuki beans?

Wash the sweet rice in the inner pan. Add the water (used for boiling azuki beans) until level 3 as indicated on the inner pan for Sweet rice and mix well. If the water does not reach this level, add more water. Place the azuki beans on top of the rice. Select the [Mixed • Sweet] menu and press the [Start] key.

What does the red color of sekihan mean?

The red color of the rice symbolizes happiness and prosperity. It’s a traditional dish served on many happy and celebratory occasions, such as New Year, the birth of baby, birthdays, festivals, and weddings. Traditionally Sekihan is made of 100% glutinous rice (you might also call it sweet rice or mochigome).