Red Bean Rice is a special occasion dish in Japan. Graduations, new babies, weddings, holidays…Red Bean Rice makes its welcomed appearance. Savory and comforting, the rice takes on a red hue from the azuki beans that symbolizes good luck and prosperity. It’s an usual dish because azuki beans are often sweetened and used in dessert recipes, but this treats them more like the beans we are used to. This has a longer prep/cook time than recipes I usually share, but most of it is hands off time, and you are rewarded with a really versatile dish that feels super special. So let’s get into it.

Gomashio for Red Bean Rice

Red Bean Rice wouldn’t be complete without the toasty, crunchy topping. Gomashio is a very simple blend of sesame seeds and salt. I like to use black sesame seeds for this because it contrasts beautifully with the red rice, but if all you have on hand are white seeds those will work too. Just don’t skip the toasting part, that is essential to unleashing their deeply nutty flavor. You can do this ahead of time. It keeps well for a couple of weeks.

Red Azuki Beans

Typically in Japanese cuisine, azuki beans are reserved for pastries and other sweet applications, even ice cream. You can find them canned in a sweet syrup with the other canned fruit in the Asian grocery store. But for savory Red Bean Rice, we start with dried beans.

They are small, mild, and nutty. They also tend to be a really hard little bean, and benefit from an overnight soaking. Otherwise they take a significantly longer time to cook. I also think that the beans never really hydrate as well if you don’t do the soak.

In a pinch, I would try a fast soak, by bringing unsealed beans to a boil, and then turning off the heat and letting them sit in the water for an hour or so. Otherwise the pressure cooker is helpful too. Combine the unsoaked beans with a couple cups of water and cook for 15 minutes in low pressure and let it naturally release pressure.

Sticky Rice

Sticky rice, also called glutinous rice, is essential for Red Bean Rice. It has a distinctive chewy texture and mildly sweet flavor. It needs to be soaked to ensure even cooking.

Cooking Red Bean Rice

Now that the sticky rice is soaked, and the azuki beans are cooked, it’s time to put them together and finish the dish! I love to use a rice cooker for this; they have automatic settings for sticky rice, but I give instructions in the notes section for preparing in a pressure cooker or on the stovetop.

And that’s it! Your Red Bean Rice is ready for your special occasion! Even if that special occasion is binge watching Ozarks. You can either garnish the rice with the gomashio topping, or put out a bowl of it and let folks do it themselves.

This Red Bean Rice has graced so many of my family’s holiday tables, I hope it becomes a regular part of your celebrations too. Please take a second to rate and leave a comment on the recipe, and tag us in your pics @funkyasiankitchen, we love hearing from you!

Red Bean Rice

★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆ No reviews

• Author: Funky Asian Kitchen
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 60 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Yield: serves 6
• Category: rice
• Cuisine: Japanese

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 15.2 oz (3 rice cooker cups) sticky rice
• 2.5 ounces dried azuki beans (about ⅓ cup)
• 4 cups water
• 3 ½ oz bag cooked and peeled chestnuts
• 3 Tablespoons black sesame seeds
• ½ Tablespoon sea salt

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Sort (checking for any small pebbles or debris) and then wash the azuki beans. Soak the beans in 3 cups of water overnight.
2. Toast the sesame seeds in a skillet over medium low heat for 3-4 minutes to bring out the flavor of the sesame. Then mix with the salt. Set aside to cool until ready to eat the rice.
3. Wash the rice and soak it in water for at least 1 hour. Drain the rice using a sieve.
4. Drain the soaked azuki beans and put them into a pot. Pour 3 cups of fresh water over the beans and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to medium low, partially cover with a lid, and cook for 45 minutes-1 hour until the beans are firm but cooked through. 
5. Drain the beans, saving the cooking liquid separately.
6. Add the drained rice and azuki beans to the rice cooker. Add the red soaking liquid to the level required for 3 cups of sticky rice/sweet rice. Add a little water if there is not enough red liquid. Turn the switch on.
7. Once the rice is cooked, let it sit for 5 additional minutes. Add the chestnuts and mix gently using a spatula. 
8. Serve with gomashio either sprinkled over the rice or in a separate container for individuals to sprinkle.

---

Notes

*If you soak the beans the night before, your beans will be done in 30-45 mins. You can also cook the beans in a pressure cooker. I cook them on low pressure for 15 minutes and then let it naturally release for another 15 minutes. You can prepare the beans ahead of time so they are ready to use. They last in the fridge for several days. 

*It is not necessary, although highly recommended, to soak the azuki beans. Azuki beans have very hard skins and it is difficult for them to hydrate well while cooking. If you do not soak the beans, you will need to cook the beans for about 90 mins. Check the water level and softness periodically, adding water as needed.

*You can also cook the beans in a pressure cooker. I cook them on low pressure for 15 minutes and then let it naturally release for another 15 minutes. You can prepare the beans ahead of time so they are ready to use. They last in the fridge for several days. 

*If you do not have a rice cooker, you can also steam the rice. Place the rice on two layers of cheesecloth or a steamer cloth in a steamer basket insert (Make sure to rinse the cloth first). Fill the bottom pot with plenty of water and then place the steamer basket and a lid on top. 

Bring the pot to boil on high heat and let the rice steam for 10 mins. Carefully lift the lid and gently flip the rice over so that the rice that was on the bottom is now on top, so you can evenly steam the rice. Cover the pot again and steam for an additional 10 mins. 

Check the rice. It should be translucent, shiny, and sticky. Take a little taste if you are unsure. The rice should have a nice chewy texture. If you’re not sure, you can continue to cook the rice for a little longer. 

Keywords: red bean rice, azuki beans, japanese, holiday, sides, sticky rice, rice

Every culture has its own chicken and rice dish, comfort food at its comfiest. Here in Miami, the favored version is Cuban Arroz con Pollo, which is so ubiquitous you can literally find it at gas stations and any festive gathering. But Hainanese chicken, a southern Chinese take on the classic pairing of chicken and rice, is so rarely offered at restaurants that the only way to satisfy my craving is to make it myself. Hainanese chicken has a clean vibrant flavor which is a perfect antidote to all the rich foods we eat this time of year. The chicken is gently simmered, creating a flavorful and nutrient rich broth to cook the rice. And the two dipping sauces really take it over the top!  The frizzled scallion ginger sauce adds a blast of freshness, while the spicy bean sauce is rich and smoky.

Hainanese Chicken may look like a lot of steps, but don’t be scared. The sauces can be made ahead of time, and the cooking is mostly hands off. And then you are rewarded with silken chicken and a savory rice dish. This meal celebrates the rich flavor in the chicken itself, in an unvarnished and natural way, that is incredibly satisfying. Plus, this is a great recipe to learn some butchering skills. I will walk you through breaking down a chicken so you can attractively present it on a serving  platter. Prepare for very impressed guests!

Let’s Get Cooking!

I like to start with the sauces as they can be made ahead and stored in the fridge. Both are really easy and quick to make. For the ginger scallion sauce, I begin by mincing the ginger and scallions. You want a really fine mince here, so that each bite of the dipping sauce contains both ginger and scallion. Then, you heat both sesame oil and neutral oil to near smoking hot, and very carefully pour it over the ginger, scallions, and salt and pepper.

The hot oils will tame the sharpness of the ginger, almost melt the scallions, and the toasty sesame flavor perfumes the entire sauce. When it’s done, store it in the fridge. Take it out when you are ready to start the chicken, so it comes to room temperature.

This sauce is salty, pungent, fresh, and finger-licking good. You can use any leftovers on top of simple grilled meats, salmon, or any steamed veggies.

The spicy bean sauce is made from pantry ingredients like soy bean sauce, sambal olek, and rice wine vinegar. Stir them together and that’s done too! Like the ginger scallion sauce, it can be kept in the fridge until you’re ready to make the chicken.

A Nice Warm Bath

The key to Hainanese chicken is a slow simmer in a fragrant mix of traditional Chinese flavors like ginger, garlic, and Shaoxing wine. The long slow bath lets the chicken release its flavors into liquid, creating a rich stock for cooking the rice. I like to use a cast iron enamel dutch oven for this. It distributes heat better and can be kept at a low simmer for long time, without having to constantly adjust the heat.

The chicken will gently simmer for about 40 minutes, and then you will flip it over so the breast side is down. The key to making sure you have moist delicious breast meat, is to let it cook off heat, where the lingering heat in the steamy bath makes sure it’s just cooked through. Then you remove the chicken and set it aside in a covered bowl to keep warm.

Making the Rice

Cooking the rice for Hainanese chicken is pretty straightforward. The real difference being that plain water is replaced with the deeply flavored stock that the chicken cooked in, infusing every grain of rice with the rich savory flavors of chicken. For a refresher course on cooking  rice, check out perfect rice. I use jasmine rice in this, and rinse it before cooking.

While the rice is cooking, you can prepare the traditional Hainanese Chicken cucumber garnish. For a pretty presentation, I like to peel a few strips off the cucumber, leaving peel in between. Then I thinly slice it on the diagonal.

Breaking Down a Chicken

Knowing how to butcher a chicken is a great kitchen skill to have. It makes for a beautiful presentation and also comes in handy when you need to carve a turkey. Same principal, bigger bird. First, push down on the thighs and cut through the soft cartilage at the joint. Sometimes you can even pop the joint out and then just tease your knife to slice through the skin. Either way, your knife should cut through without too much resistance.

Then you’ll cut through the joint between the thigh and drumstick. For more manageable servings, I cut larger thighs in half; but that might be difficult without a heavy knife or cleaver. DO NOT attempt to cut through bone with a regular kitchen knife. You’ll severely damage your knife and probably your hand.

Next I remove the backbone. You can use either a sharp, heavy knife for this, or poultry shears. Then I remove the breasts, and slice into easily served pieces. And then I assemble all the pieces on a platter.

Finally, it’s time to eat! Put out the platter of chicken, the cucumber garnish, the rice and the dipping sauces. Let everyone plate their own; it’s the least they can do after all your hard work.

Hainanese Chicken is the perfect late winter, post holidays meal. Deeply flavorful and comforting, I know you are going to love it.  Let us know if you try it-leave a comment or tag us in your pictures @funkyasiankitchen, show us the goods!

Hainanese Chicken

★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆ No reviews

• Author: Funky Asian Kitchen
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour, 20,minutes
• Total Time: 0 hours
• Yield: serves 4
• Category: Main
• Cuisine: Chinese

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Green Onion Ginger Dipping Sauce:

• 6 scallions, finely sliced
• 3 tablespoons finely minced ginger
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• ½ cup neutral oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon Ground white pepper

Spicy Bean Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons bean sauce
• 1 tablespoon sambal olek
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

For the chicken:

• One 3– 3 ½ pound chicken, rinsed and patted dry
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 12 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
• 1 bunch of scallions, cut in thirds to easily fit the pot
• 1 cup shaoxing wine
• 2 inch piece of ginger
• 8 cups water

Rice:

• 2 cups jasmine rice
• ½ european cucumber
• Handful of cilantro

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

Make the dipping sauces:

1. Put the scallions, ginger, sesame oil, salt, and white pepper in a heat resistant bowl. Mix to combine. 
2. Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the oil and heat for 2-3 mins until you start to see some fumes start to come off the oil-it needs to be very hot. Take the pan off of the heat. 
3. Add the oil slowly and carefully to the bowl with the scallion mixture. The oil will sizzle as the oil hits the wet ingredients so use extreme care when adding the hot oil. 
4. Stir to combine and then set aside until ready to use or refrigerate.
5. Mix the sambal olek, bean sauce, light brown sugar, and rice wine vinegar together. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Set aside or refrigerate until ready to serve chicken.

For the Chicken:

1. Rinse chicken and place in a large pot, breast side up. 
2. With a mallet or flat blade of a kitchen knife, smash the ginger and garlic lightly and place it in the pot along with the scallions and the wine. Add the salt plus enough water to the pot to come up about 3/4 up the chicken, about 8 cups. (It’s ok if the chicken is not fully submerged in water)
3. Put the pot on the stove and bring the chicken to a simmer over high heat. Cover the pot with a lid and lower the heat to medium-low. The chicken should be cooking at a gentle simmer. 
4. Simmer the chicken for 45 mins. and then flip the chicken so the breast side is down in the water.
5. Put the lid back on, turn off the heat, and let the chicken continue cooking for another 10-12 mins off heat. (The residual heat in the pot will gently finish cooking the breast meat. A meat thermometer should read 165-170).
6. Remove the chicken from the pot, reserving the stock. Put the chicken into a bowl and cover to keep warm and moist while you cook the rice.

Cook the Rice:

1. Measure out 2 1/4 cups of chicken broth from the pot into a saucepan that has a tight fitting lid. You do not need to strain out the solids, just push them out of the way. A little chicken fat is a nice addition to the rice but if you have a thick layer of fat floating on the surface of the broth, then skim it off first before measuring out the broth. 
2. Rinse the rice under running water and then drain. Add the broth and the rice into the saucepan. Turn the heat to medium and bring the pot to a simmer, stirring the rice once or twice with a fork (sometimes hot liquid tends to congeal the rice at the bottom of the pan where it can start to stick).
3. Lower the heat to medium low as soon as it starts to simmer and cover with a lid.
4. Cook for 8-10 minutes until you start to see small holes on the surface of the rice and it starts to puff up. Lower the heat to low, stir the rice once more with a fork, and cover the pot.
5. Cook for an additional 10-12 minutes until the rice is shiny and soft. If the rice is still a little firm, add a couple more tablespoons of broth and cook for 5 additional minutes.
6. When the rice is done, remove from heat and let sit an additional 5 mins to let the rice finish absorbing any remaining moisture. Let it sit in the pot until ready to serve.

To serve:

1. Prepare the cucumber garnish. Peel a couple of strips off of the cucumber and then cut it into thin slices on a slight angle. Arrange the cucumber on a large platter with the cilantro.
2. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the thighs and drumsticks, and cut them into manageable pieces. 
3. Remove the back by cutting down the sides of the bird. Then, cut the breast in half through the bone, by cutting on either side of the breast bone.
4. Remove the breasts in one piece and flip them over to remove any cartilage or bone fragments. Then cut the breast into thick slices.
5. Arrange all of the chicken on the platter next to the cucumber. Scoop the rice onto a separate platter or into individual bowls. 
6. Serve the sauces on the side and let guests help themselves.

---

Notes

*The chicken is served warm, room temperature, or cold with the hot rice. You can make all of the elements ahead of time. Reheat the chicken gently in the microwave or in a pan with a little reserved cooking stock. 

*If you make the sauces ahead of time store them in the fridge until ready to serve. They keep for several days.

*The chicken can be made ahead of time too. It too keeps for serval days in the fridge. You can either keep it whole and gently re-warm in reserved stock in a pot, and then cut into pieces. Or you can cut it into pieces before refrigerating, pour some stock on top, cover with plastic film, and heat in the microwave.

Keywords: hainanese chicken, rice, comfort food