Kabocha Squash and Adzuki bean Stew

Tis the season for warming, nourishing soups and stews. This is one of my favorites. Adzuki beans, according to traditional Chinese medicine, strengthen the kidneys and are very easy to digest. They are also one of the only beans that you don't need to soak so you can make this stew on the fly. This is a hearty bowl of all the wonderful highlights of the season. Yummy!

Stock

8 dried shitake mushrooms

1 4 inch piece kombu

2 scallions, white and green part, thinly sliced

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 TB tamari

2 TB mirin

6 cups water

Soup

3 pound kabocha squash, scrubbed and cleaned

2 tsp sesame oil

2 onions, thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 hot red chili pepper (Serrano, jalapeno or thai), seeded and minced

1 ¼ tsp sea salt

¼ cup scallions, white and green part, thinly sliced

Adzuki Beans

1 TB sesame oil

1 TB fresh ginger, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 ½ cup cooked adzuki beans

2 TB mirin

1 tsp umeboshi vinegar

¼ tsp sea salt

Preheat oven 375.

Make stock: combine all ingredients into pot. Bring to boil, then reduce to simmer, uncovered for about 20 minutes. Strain the broth.

Wash squash and put into oven. Bake about 20 minutes. Take out with oven mits and carefully cut in half. (it’s easier to cut when a little warm) Put halved down on parchment lined baking sheet and rub in sesame oil onto skin. Roast, cut side down for about 25 minutes or until tender. Remove and let cool. Discard seeds and scoop out flesh into bowl. Set aside.

Warm 1 TB sesame oil in pot over medium heat. Add onions, and sauté until soft, about 10 minutes. The add garlic and chili pepper and cook 1 minute.

Add squash, salt and 4 cups of stock. Cover and bring to boil. Lower heat and cook, partially cover for 10 minutes to blend flavors. Take off heat. Cool slightly. Transfer to blender and blend until smooth. Return soup to pot and taste. Add a few drops of hot toasted sesame oil (or regular toasted) and a pinch of cayenne if not to hot and more salt if necessary. 

Make beans: in a medium skillet combine oil, ginger and garlic, Cook over medium heat about 2 minutes. Then add cooked beans, mirin, vinegar and sale. Stir to combine.

Serve soup with ¼ cup adzuki beans in each bowl and sprinkle sliced scallions on top.