Azuki bean paste

Ingredients

• 100g dry azuki beans
• 100g sugar (or more, or less, as you prefer)
• a pinch of salt

Instructions

The night before

• Place the azuki beans in a pot and cover them in water. The water level should rise to a couple of inches above the beans.
• Let the beans soak overnight.

The next day

• Add more water to the pot if necessary.
• Put the pot on the stove and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.
• Drain the water. Re-fill the pot and bring to a boil once more.
• Simmer for about 90 minutes, or until the beans are soft.
• Drain the water.
• Stir the sugar and salt in with the beans.
• Simmer, stirring regularly, until the paste is thick.
• Let cool. (I like to spread the paste out on a baking sheet; the increased surface area helps it cool faster.)
• Store in the refrigerator for up to a week.