Azuki Bean Soup

Description
Serves 4

Ingredients

 * 1 cup azuki (adzuki) beans
 * 5 cups water
 * 1 strip dried tangerine peel or fresh orange peel
 * 1/4 cup canned lotus seeds
 * 1/3 - 1/2 cup brown sugar, as desired

Directions

 * 1) Soak the azuki beans in water for several hours to soften them (it's easiest to soak them overnight). Drain.
 * 2) In a medium saucepan, bring the 5 cups of water with the tangerine peel to a boil. Turn the heat down, add the adzuki beans and lotus seeds and simmer, partially covered, for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until the beans are softened to the point where they are just beginning to break apart. Add the brown sugar and stir until dissolved.
 * 3) Taste and add more sugar if desired. Serve hot or cold.
 * 4) Variations:
 * 5) Use white instead of brown sugar
 * 6) Other versions of this dish are made with longan seeds, lotus roots or lily bulbs.