Beans are truly good for the heart, but they don't produce the gastric side effects most people relate them to if they are cooked correctly. The secret here is the kombu used in the recipe below. Kombu is another kind of sea vegetable that brings out the flavor and sweetness of beans and aids in their digestion. Beans with brown rice provides the complete protein complex of meat; they are a great source of complex carbohydrates, and they are low in fat with no cholesterol. Included in the ingredients below are lotus root, which strengthens the lungs, and dried daikon, which helps to dissolve fats deep in the body's organs. In the autumn-winter seasons, we use the red or black beans, which should be soaked at least 6 hours prior to cooking, and in the spring-summer we use the white beans that do not need to be soaked, with the exception of chickpeas.
Ingredients: *What are these foods?
- 1 inch Kombu*, rinsed quickly, soaked until soft, diced
- 1 cup washed beans
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¼ cup dried daikon*, soaked, diced
- ¼ cup lotus root*, thinly sliced (if using dried lotus root, soak until soft, then dice)
- Small amount of sesame oil
- 1-2 T soy sauce
- 1 T barley malt*
- 1/8 tsp. dried mustard powder
Directions:
- Add kombu and beans to pot and approximately 2 cups water.
- Bring to a boil uncovered, skin foam away, lower to a simmer, cook for approximately 2 hours until soft.
- In a skillet, heat 1-2 T sesame oil, add garlic, onions, lotus root and daikon along with daikon soaking water.
- Sauté, stirring often, until onions are translucent. Add to beans along with soy sauce, barley malt, dried mustard powder.
- Stir in and continue to simmer until most of liquid is absorbed but not too dry.
- Garnish with finely chopped parsley, scallions or leeks.
Note: On occasion, beans will still be hard when water is absorbed. Add cold water around the edge of the pot to "shock" the beans as needed, doing this before adding vegetables and soy sauce.
Also delicious if served with a side of cooked greens, such as kale.