Write an article based on this "Soak the beans. Replace the water. Add the bacon, if desired. Bring the pot of beans to a boil. Let simmer until tender. Add desired seasonings. Serve."
Place the beans in a large stockpot and fill the pot with water. Allow the beans to soak in the water at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours. With most dried beans, it is recommended that you soak the beans before cooking them. Doing so softens the beans and also removes most of the water-soluble components responsible for digestive upset. Note that with adzuki beans, however, you can often skip the soaking process without suffering adverse reactions. Soaking will make the beans slightly easier to digest, but it is not absolutely essential. You can soak the beans anywhere from 1 hour to overnight. Drain the water by pouring the contents of the pot through a colander. Rinse the adzuki beans several times under running water before returning them to the pot and adding fresh water. The water will need to cover the beans by about 2 inches (5 cm). Fill the stockpot with cold water so that the beans cook more evenly. If you want to add bacon to the beans, you can do so at this point. Cut the bacon into 1 inch (2.5 cm) pieces and place it directly into the pot of water and beans. Bacon gives the adzuki beans a smoky, salty flavor. As such, this works well if you intend to eat the beans on their own or want to add them to a hearty dish, like chili. It may not work so well if you intend to use them in a sweeter or milder dish. Cover the stockpot and bring the water up to a boil over high heat. As soon as the water reaches a boil, reduce the heat to medium and let the beans continue to simmer until they become tender enough to pierce with a fork. If you soaked the adzuki beans beforehand, this should only take about 60 minutes. If you did not soak the beans or soaked them for less than an hour, you might need to wait closer to 90 minutes. Tilt the lid slightly as the beans simmer so that steam can escape, thereby avoiding a build-up of pressure. Periodically skim off excess foam that rises to the top of the water as the beans cook. If necessary, add more water if too much of it seems to escape during the cooking process. The beans can be served or added to recipes as they are, but if you want something a little more flavorful, you can add salt, black pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, or your other favorite bean seasonings after turning off the heat and draining the beans. You should drain the beans before adding your seasonings to ensure that the seasonings stick to the beans and do not get lost or diluted in the water. Drain the beans, if you have not done so in the seasoning step, and serve the beans while still hot. You can serve adzuki beans in tortilla shells, in a bowl with a side of cornbread, or with cooked rice. The beans can also be added to casseroles, bakes, chili, and stew. Alternatively, you can cool the beans and add them to fresh salads. You can store cooked adzuki beans in airtight containers for five days in the refrigerator or six months in the freezer.