We hear that our country has been becoming diverse.

But when I saw “Adzuki” beans being sold at a regular (not an Asian store) grocery store, the word “diversity” really hit me.

I almost couldn’t believe it!

Adzuki beans are typically cooked to make sweet bean paste that has been a major part of traditional Japanese sweets for many many years.

Although some Japanese dishes (e.g., sushi, ramen) have become pretty well-known, adzuki has not really caught any attention.

So I was extremely surprised that they were this easy to come by.

The price is not bad either.

I bought 300g (0.66 lbs) and it was less than $3.

My mom cooks adzuki beans herself and makes sweet paste.

But this was my first time cooking adzuki, and I quickly found out that cooking beans can take time.

It took me a little over 2 hours from start to finish, but it was so worth it, because it tastes so much better than the store-bought one that I usually get from an Asian store.

There are so many things you can make with this, but there was a recipe I wanted to try.

Brownies!

Adzuki beans and chocolate?

Well, it’s actually not a bad combination.

These brownies are tasty yet light, and before you know it, your hand is reaching for one after another.

The recipe called for rice flour.

I don’t have a lot of experience baking with rice flour, so I didn’t know what to expect.

But I really liked the final result.

Texture-wise, it’s closer to cake than brownies.

These can be a nice little gift when wrapped individually.

By the way, I started pottery again.

I’m still the super beginner, and there are a lot to learn.

But I really enjoy serving food on my own plate.