Red Bean Soup (紅豆湯小湯圓)

redBeanSoup_1

With winter temperatures hovering just below freezing, I crave something warm even when I’m huddling under blankets. Chinese sweet soups are relatively healthy since they are pretty much fat-free and can be made with very little sugar. After days of overindulging with cookies and cupcakes loaded with butter and sugar, I craved a lighter snack so this was perfect.

But then, that can of sweetened condensed milk seemed perfect to make it a little richer and tastier. So I put it in instead of sugar. Just a little won’t hurt right? Right!

redBeanSoup_2

And I remembered the half cup of glutenous rice flour left and joyfully made them into the easiest chewy little balls.

I made them roughly the same size. Roughly, so they look hand-made. Cute, kindda round, and definitely delicious.

[recipe]

[ingredients]
Red Bean Soup

  • 1/2 cup Red Beans (Azuki beans)
  • 2.5 cups Water
  • Sugar, to taste (or Condensed Milk for a slightly creamier version)

Glutenous Rice Ball (makes about 20)

  • 1/2 cup Glutenous Rice Flour
  • 2 Tbsp Water

[directions]Red Bean Soup:

  1. Soak the red beans overnight in 3 cups of cold water
  2. Rinse the soaked red beans in cold water
  3. Heat the red beans and 2.5 cups of water on high until water boils
  4. Turn the heat to a very low simmer and cook for 1 hour
  5. Taste test to make sure the beans are cooked through
  6. Sweeten to taste

Glutenous Rice Ball:

  1. Mix all ingredients together and keep mixing until it starts to form a dough ball then knead until it comes together well
  2. Cook in a pot of boiling water for 5-8 minutes until soft and cooked through. They will start to appear a bit translucent

[/recipe]

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