For Your New Years Feast! Plump, Ever-Popular Sweetened Kuromame Black Soybeans - Kuromame

Method

• Rinse the kuromame and soak them in water.
• Combine the rest of the ingredients in a sauce pan, bring to a boil, then turn off the heat.
• Baking soda is added to soften the beans, but it is optional.
• Put the kuromame into the sauce pan from Step 2, cover with a lid, and let sit overnight.
• In the morning, heat over medium.
• Carefully skim the scum that rises to the top while it simmers.
• Set on the lowest heat right before it comes to a boil.
• Set in a drop lid and keep on low heat to prevent the beans from moving around.
• Cover the sauce pan with a lid, then simmer for about 2 hours.
• Check the beans from time to time and if the heat seems too high, slide the lid to create a gap.
• With an IH induction cooker, I set the heat between 1 and 2, partially cover the pan with a lid, and it takes 2 and 1/2 hours to cook.
• I use large beans (Tanba kuromame variety).
• Check the beans from time to time while they simmer.
• If the liquid boils down too much, add a little more water.
• When they get to the right degree of tenderness, turn off the heat and let sit overnight in the liquid.
• The beans will wrinkle if they are not fully covered by the liquid, so make sure they are fully immersed as they cool.
• Here they are, nice and plump.
• The sweetness is quite mild.
• For those who prefer a sweeter taste, use 200 g sugar, 30 ml soy sauce, and 1/3 teaspoon salt.
• Try these cupcakes made with sweetened kuromame.
• "Fluffy, Melt-in-your-Mouth Kuromame Cupcakes".