Sweetened Red Beans / Honey Red Beans (蜜紅豆)- with Pressure Cooker
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: Chinese
Cook Time: 40 minutesminutes
Total Time: 45 minutesminutes
Servings: 2cups
Author: Marvellina
Make these easy honey red beans or sweetened red beans that are used often in many Asian desserts with an Instant Pot pressure cooker without having to presoak the red beans before cooking.
Briefly rinse the red beans in water to get rid of any impurities. Drain off water. Place the beans inside the inner pot of Instant Pot pressure cooker. Cover with water, about 1-inch above the beans
Close the lid and turn the steam release valve to "sealing". Press "Pressure Cooker" and make sure it's on high pressure. Set timer to 40 minutes. I found that 40 minutes is perfect for the beans not to be mushy but soft enough that you can mash it with your finger if you squeeze it
When the timer is up, do a natural release, meaning wait until the valve collapses on its own before opening the lid. Drain off the cooking water and return the beans to the inner pot. Add sugar and salt. Turn on the saute mode and cook and stir, scraping the bottom of the pot as you cook. The sugar will melt and it will turn "watery" when this happens but the sugar will slowly thicken up the mixture a bit as it caramelizes. Turn off the saute mode and remove to a container and let the beans cool down completely
Storing:
Cover the container and store in the fridge for up to one week. You can also portion them out and keep them in a freezer bag, pack them flat. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Simply thaw in the fridge overnight or at the counter for few hours before use