Desserts
Red Bean and Brown Sugar Paste
Red Bean and Brown Sugar Paste is a classic traditional Chinese sweet dish, made with adzuki beans and brown sugar as the main ingredients, cooked, mashed, and stir-fried to perfection. Adzuki beans are neutral in nature, sweet and sour in taste, and channel to the Heart and Small Intestine meridians. They are known for promoting diuresis, reducing edema, detoxifying, expelling pus, and strengthening the spleen and draining dampness. Brown sugar is warm in nature, sweet in taste, and channels to the Spleen and Stomach meridians. It is known for warming the middle, nourishing blood, invigorating blood circulation, and strengthening the spleen and warming the stomach. Together, adzuki beans drain dampness and promote diuresis, while brown sugar warms the middle and nourishes blood, achieving the combined effects of strengthening the spleen, draining dampness, nourishing blood, and warming the stomach. The finished paste has a rich reddish-brown color and a smooth, dense, sweet, and soft texture. This paste is especially suitable for daily consumption by those with qi-blood deficiency, edema and scanty urine, and spleen-stomach deficiency-cold.
Main Ingredients
- Adzuki beans 200g
- Brown sugar 100g
- Vegetable oil (corn oil, salad oil, or olive oil) 15-30g
- Water As needed
Steps
Rinse the adzuki beans and remove any impurities or bad beans. Cover with plenty of water and soak for 4-8 hours or overnight in the refrigerator. Adzuki beans are hard and require thorough soaking to soften properly.
Discard the soaking water and rinse the beans 2 times to remove the beany taste. Method 1 (Traditional): Place in a pot with enough cold water, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer until the beans become soft and creamy. Method 2 (Pressure cooker/Rice cooker): Cook in a pressure cooker or rice cooker until soft. The beans should be cooked until they can be easily crushed between your fingers.
Method 1 (Hand-mashing): Remove the cooked beans and mash with a spoon, rolling pin, or potato masher. Method 2 (Blending): Cool the cooked beans slightly, then blend with a small amount of the cooking liquid in a food processor until smooth.
Place the bean paste and brown sugar into a non-stick pan. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon to prevent burning. If using oil, add it in batches, ensuring each addition is fully absorbed before adding the next. Stir-fry until the paste thickens, becomes glossy, and forms clear lines when stirred.
Remove from heat and serve warm, or cool and roll into small balls for later use.
TCM Notes
Modern Nutrition Research: Diuretic and anti-edema: The high potassium-to-sodium ratio of adzuki beans (860:1), combined with the diuretic effect of saponins, effectively expels excess water and relieves edema and scanty urine. Blood nourishment and stomach warming: Brown sugar is rich in iron, a key component of hemoglobin. Its warming nature helps with cold intolerance, cold hands and feet, and spleen-stomach deficiency-cold. Spleen strengthening and dampness draining: Adzuki beans strengthen the spleen and drain dampness, improving poor appetite, bloating, and loose stools caused by spleen deficiency with dampness. Nutritional supplementation: Adzuki beans are rich in B vitamins, iron, protein, and dietary fiber, making them an excellent plant-based nutritional source.
Suitable for：Those with qi-blood deficiency (sallow complexion, fatigue) Those with edema, swelling, and scanty urine Those with spleen-stomach deficiency-cold and cold intolerance (cold hands and feet) Postpartum women (blood nourishment and uterine warming) Those with general weakness Generally suitable for most people in moderation
Not suitable for：Diabetics: Brown sugar is high in sugar — strictly control intake or omit sugar Those with hyperlipidemia or requiring caloric control: Use less oil or omit oil Those with frequent urination or excessive nighttime urination: The diuretic effect may worsen symptoms Those with yin deficiency and fire excess: Brown sugar is warm and may worsen dry mouth and constipation Those allergic to adzuki beans or brown sugar
