Red Bean Paste

I made this in the middle of my health crisis, when sugar had to be seriously curtailed, but I just couldn't eat anymore brothy chicken soup with rice for breakfast. I needed my warm fruit and grain breakfast. I know that beans are, basically, my body's version of "best food EVER", so I needed to get beans into something sweet. How was I going to do that? Then my mind flashed back to treks into chinatown in New York City and the red bean past balls (wrapped in sweet rice) and how good those were. Red beans are a staple of the Caribbean diet, so I thought -- it shouldn't be that hard. I can cook beans. Just add dried fruit instead of sugar. Dates are the sweetest I know and they have that lovely soft sticky texture.

Basically, the recipe is 60/40 beans and dates. But 50/50 is also good!

Note: If you are going to use Medjool dates, you may need less. I've never used them - cost and all that, but I would love to hear how it comes out for you, if you do use them.

Ingredients:

250g of dry red beans

400g of dates with the pits

Soak beans overnight or (8 hours or more). Rinse and add to a pot with plenty of fresh water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 hour.

In the meantime, de-pit the dates. Nice meditative

When the beans are nice and soft, drain the beans, but keep the liquid. Add the beans to a blender and two full ladles of the red bean liquid and blitz. You may need to add another ladle of red bean liquid. Basically, if the blender gets stuck add more liquid. Blitz until a thick, smooth mousse-like paste.

Pour into a container (or split into two containers - one to freeze and one to put in the fridge.). Taste - just to remind yourself of how good this is going to be to eat.

One heaping tablespoon is good in the morning. :-)