Kuromame

sweetened black bean (typically in the New Year food)

Ingredients:

• dry black beans 200g

• sugar 100 - 200g (Japanese 1/2 cup - 1 cup, according to your taste)

• salt 1/3 tbsp

• soy sauce 50 cc (Japanese 1/4 cup)

• baking soda 2/3 tbsp

Directions:

1. Wash the beans lightly and place in a colander

2. Boil 8 cups of water in a deep pot, add sugar, salt, soy sauce and baking soda, beans.

3. Stop the heat and leave it for 4-5 hours in the pot.

4. Boil on high heat. Keep removing the foams, add 1/2 of water to the pot. When reboiled, add 1/2 of water again.

5. Drop lid (otoshibuta, if you have) and boil for abtou 8 hours on low heat. (Using the pressure cooker or slow cooker will help, if you have one.)

Notes:

• In osechi (new year's food), Kuromame symbolize a wish for health, strength, and diligence in the coming year. The word "mame" represents working hard and staying healthy, while the dark color acts as a charm to ward off evil spirits and misfortune. 

• Make sure the beans are soaked in water completely throughout the process to avoid wrinkling.

• It is supposed to be sweet, but you can adjust the amount of sugar to your taste.

• To enhance the black color and intake of the iron, it is suggested to add iron nails in a cloth bag, or tetsu tamago when boiling the beans.

  (Tetsu Tamago (Iron Egg) is a traditional Japanese, egg-shaped, cast-iron (Nambu Tekki) cooking tool designed to naturally supplement iron intake and improve food/water quality. Simply boil it in water, soups, or stews for 10+ minutes to release bioavailable iron, also used to keep black beans and eggplant bright in color.