Aduki Bean Stew

I may have posted this recipe once before on this blog, but I think it warrants a re-post. This is my "birthing stew" - the recipe I was throwing together during early labour with darling daughter. I actually couldn't finish it because the contractions were getting so strong, but I ate quite a bit of it in the postpartum period.

The Aduki (also spelled Azuki or Adzuki) bean is not a well-known legume - it is most popular in East Asia, and is often boiled down and sweetened into a red bean paste. I could see the Aduki bean becoming as popular as quinoa, for its high levels of B vitamins, iron, zinc and magnesium. All in all, an excellent health food. Also, in the postpartum period, the fibre and iron is excellent for the breastfeeding mom! You can find the beans at the Bulk Barn.

This recipe is from Jillian McKeith's You Are What You Eat cookbook, with some modifications. Try it over quinoa, rice or millet:

1/2 cup aduki beans, presoaked for 12 hours
1tbsp olive oil
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 onion or leek, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
half butternut squash, peeled and cut into small chunks
half teaspoon ground cumin
half teaspoon turmeric powder
3-4 cups veggie stock
handful of kale, ripped into bite-sized pieces
chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Drain the beans and rinse well. Put into a large saucepan of water and bring to a boil. Boil for 15min, and then drain and rinse.

Heat the olive oil up on low heat, and add garlic and onion/leek. Cook until softened. Add carrots, butternut squash, aduki beans and spices. Cook for 2 min. Poor in stock, bring to a boil, and then simmer for 10min. Add kale and simmer for another 5min. Serve with fresh parsley.