Well, it’s not officially spring at the moment, but I can just feel it in the air.
Either that, or I just cannot wait for spring produce, colorful dresses and beautiful weather.
Throw in ice cream and I’d happily do a dance. Even if its for this dessert that I grew up with — adzuki porridge, or bubur kacang for fellow Malaysian’s out there 🙂
I am a bean girl, no doubt. But I just can’t fathom the idea of eating red & black beans, savory. I am fine eating other beans/legumes in the “savory” department, but just not these two.
It’s not my fault that I grew up exposed to eating black and red beans for dessert. So whenever the Husband and I eat at our favorite Mexican restaurant – Chipotle, his order’s are usually topped with black beans. Mine on the other hand, is usually piled high with guacamole. No beans.
I get stinky eyes from the Husband whenever I refuse.
I’ll let you in on a secret & important ingredient in today’s recipe — pandan leaves!
Pandan (also known as “screwpine“) leaves are widely used in Southeast Asian cuisine. It lends great aroma and flavor to sweet & savory dishes.
There’s a huge possibility of not finding it in your local grocery stores, but try scouring the ethic food chains – oriental / thai supermarkets. If fresh is not available, look for it in the frozen section.
I found it in the frozen section and I did a happy dance!!! For reals, ask the Husband if you don’t believe 😀
Ingredients:
- 1 cup Adzuki beans
- 2 cups water
- pinch of salt
- 1.5 cup thick coconut milk
- 3 – 4 small pandan leaves
- 4 – 5 tbsp agave nectar/sugar
Directions:
- Rinse and soak adzuki beans for 2 hours, in some water.
- Rinse beans before adding it in a pressure cooker, with 2 cups of water + salt. Heat it over medium high to boil for 20 minutes.
- Add thick coconut milk and pandan leaves. Pressure cook for another 20 minutes.
- Remove from heat & discard pandan leaves. To sweeten, add agave nectar/sugar.
- Serve it hot or cold. Makes a great topping over scoops of vanilla ice cream.
Off to enjoy what is left of Friday, and hopefully some bubur kacang merah before the Husband assumes the whole pot is for him 😉
Have a great weekend, friends <3
Have you sampled beans as dessert before? What is your favorite recipe?
Comments on this entry are closed.
A delicious looking pudding! I’ve eaten something very similar and it was a Thai dessert… For me, beans are synonymous of savory food, but I don’t mind going out of my comfort zone as I’m quite adventurous. 😉
Cheers,
Rosa
Rosa — thanks dear. Yes, sweet beans are a Thai and Southeast Asia’s famous dessert 🙂
Pandan leaves have the most amazing smell… They have a magic touch and makes everything smell good, look good, and taste good. Yum!
Margarita recently posted..Some Meatloaf Stories
Margarita — love that about pandan leaves 🙂
Nice one Kiran – now I have to try and get my hands on two things! I don’t think I’ve seen Adzuki beans before, and pandan leaves as well… they sound like a wonderful thing to cook with. I know almost nothing about Malaysian cuisine – it’s fun to discover new things – thanks for sharing this 🙂
Charles — I hope you get to try this recipe 🙂
Oh. My. Goodness. This IS simply divine. I love the smell of pandan leaves, it reminds me of my grandmother’s kitchen! My family and I like to make this during the holidays, but we normally make the green version. I bet the red is delicious as well.
Yudith @ Blissfully Delicious recently posted..Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
Yudith — thank dear. Yes, there’s mung bean version and it’s just as good 🙂
Looks great! This is so much like our ‘Payasa’ 🙂 We make it with lentils and without the pandan leaves of course.
chinmayie @ love food eat recently posted..Sunshine Muffins with Carrots, Raisins, Orange Juice & Honey
Chinmayie — agreed about Payasa. Love it 🙂
Adzuki and Pandan? Never heard about them. I don’t know if I’ll get them anywhere here. But the dessert looks great. And your intelligent photography made it look even better 🙂
Harsha recently posted..Holi on paper
Harsha — thanks sweetie 🙂
I have never seen beans look so appetizing! I love this creative take on them!
Simply Life recently posted..Share Your Goodness: Win a Starbucks Gift Card!
Gina — thanks dear 🙂
When I think of beans I think savory though this dish does look yummy! I love to try out new foods and this is something I would like to try.
Asmita recently posted..Chocolate Cupcakes
Asmita — thanks dear 🙂
It’s funny how accustomed we get to eating things a certain way; I can’t imagine eating black & red beans in a sweet dish! But this looks so delicious I’m definitely willing to try!
the wicked noodle recently posted..breakfast quinoa
Kristy — I hope you do 😉
What an interesting and delicious-looking recipe! The only time I’ve tried beans in a dessert was in a Pinto Bean Pie, served at a small restaurant in Bicknell, Utah called the SunGlow Cafe (they also serve pickle pie and oatmeal pie–all are oddly delicious).
Beautiful photos as always!
Andi at The Particular Traveler recently posted..Road Trip and a Few of My Favorites in Moab, Utah
Andi — thanks dear. That pinto bean pie sounds yummy 🙂
I’ve never had sweet beans before, ill have to try cooking with pandan leaves, this looks delicious. Great photographs. GG
Glamorous Glutton recently posted..Chocolate Valentine Hearts
GG — thanks and you’ve got to try this recipe. So yum 🙂
One of my favorite beans! I am the opposite and grew up with all beans savory, but loving the introductions to the sweets world 🙂 Lovely recipe and photos…hugs
Magic of Spice recently posted..What’s for brunch? Clementine, Meyer Lemon and Ginger Juice
Magic of Spice — thanks dear, xo
hehe and here we are having Autumn! 😛 this is one of my favourite desserts. I know people that think that adzuki beans or beans are strange in dessert but I love them! 😀
Lorraine — I don’t think people should criticize beans used in dessert, before tasting 😉
beautiful pics, makes me want one right now! oh i love black beans in savoury form, coz thats all i have tasted haha, quite the opposite of u 🙂 never had beans as a dessert this sounds so interesting
Deeps @ Naughty Curry recently posted..Rajma Chawal ~ kidney beans curry with rice
Deeps — thanks dear 🙂
I’ve had red and black beans in desserts since I was young, so having them in savoury dishes is weird for me too…..Your adzuki bean porridge looks delicious- I love how you’ve used pandan leaves- I’ve never done that before (will definitely give it a try) but I love the flavour of pandan, and it sounds like a great idea!
Von recently posted..Domo Cake
Von — thanks dear. Pandan heightens the flavors. Try it in this recipe 🙂
Lovely pics…am drooling over them…
Suchi recently posted..Tandoori Salmon
Suchi — haha! Thanks dear 🙂
Okay first off…photos = STUNNING! So beautiful! I’ve had red bean desserts before but never black beans before! I crew up in the midwest and we’re all about Mexican food there which is all kinds of savory. I’m totally intrigued by your sweet dish!
Parsley Sage recently posted..Eggplant Stir-fry
Parsley sage — thanks a lot sweetie. It might sound dubious, but it definitely tastes so good 🙂
Oooh! Love the way it looks so creamy and delicious. I donno if I will be able to find pandan leaves (any substitutes?) here but I have got to give it a try.
easyfoodsmith recently posted..First Blog-anniversary & My first Guest Post – CHILLI GARLIC GRILLED PRAWNS S/W BHAKRI
EasyFoodSmith — I can’t think of anything that closely resembles to pandan leaves as a substitute. Perhaps kewra? I am unsure. But you can leave it out and it would tastes just as good 🙂
Ah another one of Malaysian fav dessert and just like you, I drool over beans. Pandan leaves are growing like crazy in my garden and I normally go for these given a choice between vanilla.
Love the pics you have attached, outstanding they are.
Nava — thanks dear and I am so envious of pandan leaves in your garden. Enjoy!!
I love adzuki beans…actually used to eat a sweetened soup prepared with red beans and lotus seeds…yours with coconut milk and pandan sounds just amazing!
Angie@Angie’s Recipes recently posted..Dutch Crunchy Whole Wheat Bread
Angie — thanks dear. I love the red beans and lotus seeds combo. It’s called tong-sui in Malaysia 🙂
How exciting! I have been marveling at the idea of using adzuki beans in dessert, till now I hadnt had the chance actualy but its on top of my priority list. I heard and saw around those pandan leaves, but thats all till now. I wish I could get a hand on some to try a bit around.
I ll save your recipe for later use. thanks a lot for sharing with us all! =)
Helene Dsouza I Masala Herb recently posted..Falooda and the Basil seeds
Helene — I hope you get to try this recipe with pandan leaves 🙂
Very nice photos and I am learning a lot here; would love to try this!
Joumana — Welcome to Recipebox and thanks for commenting 🙂
This is a new recipe for me, it looks so good and delicious! I have to try it.
mustardseed recently posted..Sweet potato and paneer stuffed peppers
Mustardseed — thanks dear, let me know how it tastes 🙂
Lovely dessert Kiran, I’ve just recently discovered beans in desserts as compared to always using in savory dishes, very interested to try it!
Gourmantine recently posted..Chocolate mousse in a blender: is it possible?
Gourmantine — thanks dear 🙂
Your photos are stunning. And the recipe is very interesting, I like it a lot as it is new to me, sounds delicious.
Lemon recently posted..Cape Town, South Africa
Lemon — thanks a lot dear. Just to inform you, I am unable to comment on your blog. Please provide name + url feature in the comment section? 🙂
Looks like a big creamy hot chocolate. Yum!
Cass @foodmyfriend recently posted..Brown Sugar Paradise Pear Frangipane Tart with Vanilla Bean Glaze
Cass — it’s not chocolate, but I know what you meant 🙂
Kiran, you don’t understand how CRAZY I am about azuki! This is very unique style of azuki recipe and I’m so curious. I need to check my Asian store to see if they have Pandan leaves. I used to look for fresh veggie area but heard that it is in frozen section. I was looking at a wrong corner. Vanilla, coconut milk, and azuki? Hmm perfect recipe to me!
Nami | Just One Cookbook recently posted..Chirashi Sushi Cake and Temari Sushi…and Giveaway Winners!
Nami — Awww.. you are too cute! We have it all the time in Malaysia 😉
This is remarkable. I don’t see these types of ingredients here in boonieland. Hopefully I can expand my horizons and pantry at whole foods during the conference. I would love to try this out. Anything with coconut milk has my heart strings.
Kim Bee recently posted..Panzerotti: Vintage Recipe Swap
Kim Bee — Thank you. I am unsure if Whole Foods carry pandan leaves, but it’s worth a try. Can’t wait to meet you and the rest, next week 🙂
What a delicious and exotic recipe – I just want to dig right in 😀
Great post!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Latest: Traditional Lemon Meringue Tart
Choc Chip Uru recently posted..Traditions Of March #1
Choc Chip Uru — Thanks a lot! 🙂
I could have sworn it was chocolate when I first saw the photos! I don’t think I’ve ever tried adzuki beans, another ingredient to add to the must try list.
Jennifer (Delicieux) recently posted..Blogging 101 – Starting a self hosted WordPress blog
Jennifer — It surely resembles chocolate 🙂
Such a beautiful pudding. But I am amazed and intrigued how these beans would taste when made into a sweet something. I have always had them savoury.
Will have to try this sometime.
Anita Menon recently posted..Muffin Mondays : Hazelnut & Cherry Jam Muffins
Anita — thanks dear. This beans are so different in flavor and texture, you’ve got to try it to believe it 🙂 I don’t know if you are familiar with South Indian’s payasam. It’s similar.
Also, I forgot to add, the photos are lovely, simple and elegant
Anita — aww.. thanks dear 🙂
So glad that you brought this beans up.Takes me back down memory lane where I used to share my friend’s lunch at school,boiled and tempered adzuki beans.We use screwpine leaves too back in Srilanka for all the sweet and savory dishes.Love the aroma !
Farwin recently posted..Coconut Jaggery filled Crepes with Treacle – Guest Post for Cemplang Cemplung
Farwin — so glad you could relate to this recipe. Never knew Sri Lankan’s cuisine uses screwpine leaves as well 🙂
wow! I was totally thinking chocolate fudge when I saw this.. this looks incredible, and pretty healthy in fact. i haven’t tried beans as a dessert, but I have heard of those black bean brownies that I have yet to try. Everyone swears you can’t taste the beans, so I’ll have to test that out. Nice job on the photos!
honeywhatscooking recently posted..New Delhi – a NRI Perspective!
Honey — thanks a lot dear. I’ve heard about the black bean brownies as well. Gotta try it too 🙂
I must keep an eye out for Pandan leaves – this looks so delicious!
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Kathryn — Welcome to Recipebox and thanks for the compliments 🙂
I once tried chickpea blondies and black bean brownies but unfortunately wasn’t a fan of either. However I can imagine this tasting great, especially with the coconut milk! I love pandan leaves, especially wrapped around fish!
Khushboo recently posted..Body For Life: The Eats
Khushboo — I am so happy you’ve tried pandan leaves 🙂
WOW This look Good Kiran….
I love adzuki beans but have only tried them savory… Need to expand me taste world!!!
I think I have seen a sweet dish at Nami’s blog too with adzuki…
This looks wonderful I need to try it soon.
Reem — thanks dear. And yes, adzuki beans in desserts are common in Asians, Japanese etc, cuisines.
I’ve never heard of pandan before..can’t wait to try it!! Hopefully I can find some at our local health stores! This bean porridge sounds divine!!
Katie {Epicurean Mom Blog} recently posted..Triple Chocolate Crackle Cookies
Katie — thanks sweetie. You can usually find some at oriental or Thai food stores.
Wow Kiran, I love learning about new dishes! I would love to try this recipe!
Sara {OneTribeGourmet} recently posted..Confetti Salad – A Medley of Sweet Roasted Peppers & Carrots with Orange & Marcona Almonds
Sara — thanks dear. Do try and let me know how it tastes 🙂
This sounds so good! I love sweetened adzuki beans, so it’s very exciting to find a new way to enjoy them. Not enough people appreciate their dessert versatility!
Hannah recently posted..In [Lemon] Mint Condition
Hannah — thanks dear. I am assuming you’ve tried sweetened adzuki beans before? Love it 🙂
Delicious looking dessert with wonderful clicks.
hemalata recently posted..Talakaya Mamsam Kura – Goat Head Meat Curry
Hemalata — thanks dear 🙂
Sounds good and I love your photos!
Maria recently posted..Orange Almond Scones
Maria — thanks a lot sweetie 🙂
nice one!
Actually all of my bean recipes are mostly sweet 🙂 I am only new to savoury bean dishes.
anh@anhsfoodblog.com recently posted..{Salad days} Viet-Russian Potato Salad & Chicken cabbage salad with tamarind dressing
Anh — so happy you can relate to this sweet bean dessert. We call it “tong sui” in Malaysia 🙂
whoa! bubur kacang and pandan leaves?!?! I feel so at home!!! I miss this so much! You are one talented chef, my dear! 🙂
Sammie recently posted..Heart-Shaped Egg Tarts
Sammie — Oh, thanks dear. Not a talented chef. I am forced to recreate some dishes I grew up loving. And you can too. This recipe is darn simple my dear 😀
Just realized I have not visited in a while! I have never come across red and black beans as a dessert. Have gotten so used to rajma-chawal that I honestly thought they could only be made savory! Very interesting indeed. It looks so yummy.
Meenakshi recently posted..Motherhood Mondays: My child SCREALS. Does yours?
Meenakshi — That’s fine dear. Hope everything is well 🙂 I am unsure about black bean, but we have sweetened red and green bean recipes in our cuisines, which resembles payasam found in Southern Indian cuisine.
I’ve never cooked with these beans, but I love porridge and this version looks so comforting to me, it’s definitely time to try beans in my porridge now:)
Denise recently posted..Dinner in 20 minutes or less
Denise — thanks dear. Do try this simple recipe and let me know how it tastes 🙂
This recipe sounds delicious! For me beans usually mean something savory – a main dish, a side dish, or a soup, so this is definitely something different to try!
Biana | Meal Planning Tips recently posted..Buttermilk Biscuit Recipe
Biana — We are so used to having beans, both ways. Yes, it’s definitely worth a try 🙂
new to me having beans as a dessert looks good
Rebecca recently posted..Date Rice Pudding
Rebecca — thanks dear 🙂
I am also on the savory side of beans. Sweet beans, actually I have only tasted one kind, we make mung beans with jaggery and coconut, which is quite delicious. I am actually now wondering why I haven’t made bean sweets before? This sounds like an awesome recipe to start though I have never tasted pandan. Will try to get them and make this. Beautiful photos as usual!
Ambika recently posted..Mixed Vegetable Chutney (Dip)
Ambika — thanks dear. We make this with mung beans as well. I would love to try your version with jaggery and coconut 🙂
this is new for me, I’ve never seen bean and coconut milk together but it looks like it works
beti recently posted..Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
Beti — it sure does 🙂
I love the “stinky eyes” so cute! I’m intrigued by this recipe. I love beans, but have never had them sweet before. Very fun!
Kristi Rimkus recently posted..Tasty Tip Tuesday – If You Stuff It, They’ll Eat It – Mediterranean Turkey Muffins
Kristi — Haha! I hope you get to try it sweetened. I grew up enjoying this dessert 🙂
This porridge looks beautiful and comforting. I love your pictures 🙂
Sneh | Cook Republic recently posted..Nutella Butter Cake
Hi Kiran,
After spending 5 1/2 yrs in Singapore, I have a fondness towards Nonya desserts. I love the bubur cha cha, ice kacang, kuehs and cakes. I love pandan leaves. How on earth did you find pandan leaves here. I substituted with few drops of kewra in place of pandan when I made a pandan chiffon cake. I love the red bean dessert and the red bean ice cream….I want to visit Singapore NOW!
Cheryl Rajkumar recently posted..Comfy Coconut Pilau (Vegan)
Hi Cheryl — aren’t Nyonya desserts the most fragrantly delicious treats out there? I found pandan leaves at my local Asian grocer, in the freezer aisle. Kewra doesn’t yield the same results though.
Hi Kiran!
I’m a huge fan of red bean and just manage to try your recipe yesterday and it was Delicious!!
Hi Mira — awww, thank you so much! I am so glad you loved it 🙂
Hai Kiran, i really wanna try your recipe but i get confused here, how much cream i have to add into the coconut milk?
Hey Indria — so sorry for the late in reply. I meant “thick coconut milk”. I’ll amend the recipe to avoid confusion, thank you 🙂
Hi there! I was just wondering, where can I find Adzuki beans in Malaysia? I’ve found the local variant of ‘Kacang Merah’, but they look a little different to these Adzuki beans and are more similarly shaped to the kidney bean.
Are Adzuki beans the same as ‘Kacang Merah’? Or am I really on to something here.
Good post btw!
Hi Bazil — it’s similar tasting to “Kacang Merah”, so go ahead with it. Let me know how it tastes 🙂