Adzuki Bean, Tapioca Noodle, and Coconut Sweet Soup
- 1/2 cup dried adzuki beans, picked over well
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup tapioca starch
- 1 1/4 cups Coconut Dessert Sauce (page 313), cold or at room temperature
- Crushed ice
- Rinse the beans in several changes of water.
- Drain the beans and put them into a bowl.
- Add enough water to cover by 1 inch.
- Set aside to soak for 6 to 9 hours.
- Drain the beans and rinse them again.
- Put them into a saucepan with water to cover by 1 inch.
- Bring to a near boil over medium heat, and then lower the heat to a gentle simmer.
- Cover partially and cook for about 45 minutes, or until the beans are tender but not mushy.
- Let cool before using.
- Or, you may refrigerate them in their cooking liquid in a tightly covered container for up to 3 days.
- To make the sugar syrup, in a small saucepan, whisk together the sugar and 2/3 cup of the water until combined.
- Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for about 1 minute, or until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear.
- Let cool before using.
- There will be 3/4 cup.
- Or, refrigerate in a tightly covered jar until needed.
- Put the tapioca starch in a large bowl and make a well in the center.
- Bring the remaining 1/3 cup water to a boil, immediately pour it into the well, and stir with a wooden spoon or sturdy rubber spatula until the mixture is lumpy.
- Use your hand (it is not that hot) or a plastic dough scraper to gather the mixture into a rough mass.
- Turn it out, along with all the unincorporated bits, onto a large cutting board.
- Knead the dough vigorously for 2 to 3 minutes, pushing it with the heel of one hand and folding it over, to create a smooth, dense dough.
- The dough will seem dry at first, but as the water is absorbed throughout the mass, the dough becomes malleable like modeling clay.
- Work in a little more tapioca starch if the dough is sticky, or a few drops of water at a time if the dough is too firm.
- The finished dough will be slightly warm.
- Cut the dough into 3 equal pieces.
- Roll out each piece into a strip 2 to 2 1/2 inches wide and a scant 1/4 inch thick.
- Allow the strips to cool, firm, and dry for 6 to 8 minutes, so they are easier to work with, flipping them midway so they dry evenly on both sides.
- Use a knife to cut the strips crosswise into short noodles a generous 1/8 inch thick.
- Pause occasionally to separate them with your fingers.
- They will be dry, which means they wont stick together during cooking.
- Set a bowl of cold water large enough to accommodate the noodles near the sink.
- Fill a 5-quart pot half full with water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
- Pick up the cutting board and scoot the noodles into the pot.
- Stir the noodles to prevent sticking.
- After the water returns to a boil, cook the noodles for about 5 minutes, or until they are coated with a clear layer of cooked tapioca.
- (They will look white in the pot, so use a slotted spoon to examine one.)
- Drain the noodles in a colander and immediately transfer them to the cold water bowl, where they will turn clear.
- Let the noodles cool before pouring off the water.
- (The noodles can be covered and kept at room temperature for about 4 hours.
- They lose their springiness if they are refrigerated.
- Cooled noodles stick together, so loosen and separate them with warm water before using.)
- To serve, have ready 6 glasses; each should hold 1 to 1 1/4 cups.
- Drain the beans and divide them and the noodles evenly among the glasses.
- Add 2 tablespoons sugar syrup and about 3 tablespoons coconut sauce to each glass.
- Top with 2 to 4 tablespoons crushed ice, depending on everyones sweet tooth.
- Serve with spoons for stirring up the contents and eating.
adzuki beans, sugar, water, tapioca starch, coconut dessert sauce
Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/adzuki-bean-tapioca-noodle-and-coconut-sweet-soup-382996 (may not work)