Thai Desserts Delicious

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours,

Ingredients:

• Serves 4-6
• ½ cup red adzuki beans
• 1 ½ cups water
• 2 cans coconut milk
• ½ cup Asian-style "pearl" tapioca (very inexpensive at Asian food stores), or regular minute tapioca
• 2 tsp. vanilla flavoring
• ½ cup sugar (or more depending on desired sweetness)
• pinch of salt
• optional: a handful of dried seaweed to eliminate "gas" from the beans (available at Asian grocers)
• optional: 2 Tbsp. dry shredded baking-type coconut, as is, or toasted
• optional: a few red jelly beans to sprinkle on top

Preparation:

1. Place beans, water, salt, and seaweed (if using) in a slow cooker on “high”. Cook for at least 2 hours, or until beans are soft. (If more convenient, leave the beans to cook on “low” overnight or all day). Alternatively, you can soak the beans overnight, then cook in a pot on the stove.
2. Once beans are soft and fully cooked, using a potato masher, mash beans into small pieces.

Tip: If your cooker is made of glass, this can be done directly in the slow cooker, without removing the beans. For slow cookers coated with a non-stick surface, remove beans and mash in a separate bowl, then return to slow cooker to avoid damaging your appliance.

3. Add 1 can of the coconut milk, sugar, tapioca, and vanilla. Stir well and leave to cook on “high” for another 30-60 minutes. Check occasionally, adding 1 cup of water or more if the pudding becomes too thick.
4. Do a taste test for sweetness and to make sure your tapioca is cooked (it should no longer taste hard or granular. If using Asian tapioca, the "pearls" will turn transparent). Regular "minute" tapioca may take slightly longer.
5. Serve warm in bowls or dessert cups. Top the pudding with some coconut cream (the thick creamy milk at the top of the can) to create 2 distinct layers. If desired, add a sprinkling of shredded coconut (dry baking-style coconut) and a few red jelly beans. Enjoy!