Sekihan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sekihan (赤飯, lit: "red rice") is a Japanese traditional dish. It is sticky rice steamed with azuki beans, which give a reddish color to the rice, hence its name.
Sekihan is often served on special occasions throughout the year in Japan, for example, birthdays, weddings and some holidays, such as Shichi-Go-San. Sekihan is so strongly connected with celebration 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. In some areas, it is made when a young woman has her menarche, suggesting another source of the tradition.
It is usually eaten immediately after cooking but it also may also be eaten at room temperature, such as in a celebratory bento (boxed lunch). Sekihan is traditionally eaten with gomashio (a mixture of lightly toasted sesame and salt).
[edit] How to cook sekihan
- Wash Mochi-gome (glutinous rice) and soak in water for 12 hours.
- Wash azuki beans, boil over high heat for 5 minutes, and discard water.
- Add 5 cups of fresh water to the pot of beans over heat. When it boils, turn down the heat to low, and cook beans until tender. Drain in a sieve, reserving hot water in a bowl. Allow water to cool.
- Soak rice in the cool bean water for 1 hour, and drain in a sieve lined with cheesecloth.
- Transfer the rice with the cheesecloth to a steamer, and cook over high heat for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with salted sake a couple of times during cooking.
- Place azuki beans on top of rice, and steam to heat beans.
- Serve red rice sprinkled with gomashio (sesame salt).
