Hong Dou Tang: Chinese Red Bean Soup

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups (about 280 g) dried adzuki beans, rinsed
• 3 small pieces (about 3-5 grams in total) of dried tangerine peel
• 0.5 tsp of soda
• 2 tablespoons small white tapioca pearls
• 140 g lump sugar (or 3/4 cup granulated sugar)
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

Preparation:

1. Soak beans in a medium bowl in enough cold water to cover the beans by 2 inches (5 cm) for at least 8 hours or overnight.
2. When the beans are almost done, soak the dried mandarin peel in a small bowl with plenty of warm water until softened, about 20 minutes. Use a spoon to scrape out as much of the white pulp as possible, then finely chop the zest.
3. Drain the beans and transfer them to a 5-quart (5-liter) saucepan. Add 1 teaspoon of chopped tangerine zest, baking soda, and 7 cups of cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender, about 1 hour.
4. Meanwhile, soak the tapioca pearls in a small bowl of water until soft, about 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
5. When the beans are done, transfer 0.5 cups of cooked beans to a small bowl. Mash with a fork or potato masher, then return to the cauldron. Add the tapioca pearls, sugar, and salt.
6. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the balls are completely translucent and soft, about 15 minutes. Serve hot.
   
   Note
   
   If you can't find adzuki beans, substitute small red kidney beans.
   
   Dried mandarin peel imparts a distinctive floral-citrusy aroma to dishes. It's usually sold whole in Asian grocery stores. It can be found online both whole and in strips.
   
   This recipe uses lump sugar, which is commonly added to Chinese soups because it's slightly less sweet than granulated sugar. However, you can substitute regular granulated sugar or even brown sugar, which adds a pleasant caramel flavor.