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This Job’s Tears Red Bean Porridge is one of my favorite winter soup to make. It’s simple yet still delicious with only 4 ingredients!

Job’s Tears Red Bean Porridge
The name might be weird, but that’s how this porridge, or sweet soup, is made of: red bean, pinto beans, and Job’s tears. I’m not sure if this is a thing but it is a soup that my father has been making since I was little. So I just name it as it is.
It has been one of my favorite things to have on a cold day. The ingredient list is pretty short. Actually, you just need 4 ingredients to make it: Red beans (azuki beans), Pinto beans (we called them “big red beans” in Chinese), Job’s tears, and sugar.

This Job’s Red Beans Porridge is a little bit like Red Bean Soup, but the taste is really different from the pinto beans and Job’s tears. The pinto beans make this porridge less boring because you will bite in the pinto beans from time to time. The texture of Job’s tears is quite prominent when you chew them as well.
We’re going to start with dried beans, so it does take some time to soak the beans. But, hey, you don’t need to do anything when the beans are quietly in the water.
In fact, I usually soak them before I go to bed, and wake up in the morning to give them a rinse and make the soup. If you’re not into making soup in the morning, you can also put them in the fridge for a while until you have time to make it on that day.

And now I often use an instant pot to make this soup, which really shortens the amount of cooking time. Another pot I will use from time to time is my small pressure cooker.
But if you don’t have an instant pot or pressure cooker, no worries, you can use an old-fashion rice cooker or cook them on the stove. It will take much longer to cook, though. So if you like to cook dried beans and grains as I do, I really recommend investing in an instant pot. It will save you tons of time and work in the long run.
How to make Job’s Tears Red Bean Porridge
Step 1: Soak the beans and Job’s tears in water for 6-8 hours.
I used to soak them separately, but I don’t think it’s necessary based on my experience. Now I often soak them in a big bowl and go to sleep.
Step 2: Drain out the water and give them a rinse.
Because the beans will release phytic acid and other indigestible stuff when soaking, it’s better to rinse off those things.
There’re many articles online saying that you don’t need to soak your dried beans, which is not wrong but I don’t vote for that. They can still be cooked but I don’t like the final texture of the unsoaked-then-cooked beans.
Soaking beans will let the beans break down faster and make them more digestible based on my experiences. And when the cooking time is cutting time, it’s also a way of saving resources. And you can sleep during the soaking time. So, seriously, why not?
Step 3: Transfer the beans to the instant pot and add water. Let it cook for 20 minutes then sit for 30 minutes.
I like to cook my beans in instant pot because I can just walk away to do my own stuff while it’s cooked. You can also use a pressure cooker, but I usually use it when I’m staying in the kitchen for a while so as to keep an eye on it.
Another common kitchen equipment in Taiwan is this old-fashion multi-functional rice cooker. I used to cook my dried beans and grains with it. You can check out the instructions on how to cook the beans with it in this recipe.
Once the instant pot finishes cooking, let it sit for 30 minutes to naturally release the pressure. During this 30 minutes, the beans will continue to be cooked with the inner temperature.
Step 4: Stir in the sugar and taste.
The final step is adding sugar to taste. I like to use a combination of dark brown sugar and rock can sugar. You can also use raw sugar or other sweeteners of choice.
And since every person has a different taste palate, it’s really important to taste and adjust the amount of sugar to your liking.
Then it’s time to enjoy it!
This sweet porridge really warms my body up and I hope it will warm you up too!
If you like sweet soups as I do, check out my Chinese Sweet Peanut Soup, Black Sesame Soup, and Red Bean Soup.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. If you make this recipe, don’t forget to tag @Barrelleaf + #barrelleaf on Instagram. I always love to see them and to know how it goes.
大小紅豆薏仁湯 Job’s Tears Red Bean Porridge
食材
- 120 ml (½ cup) red beans (adzuki bean) 紅豆
- 120 ml (½ cup) pinto beans 花豆
- 80 ml (⅓ cup) Job's tears 薏仁
- 960 (4 cups) water 水
- 5 Tbsp sugar 糖, or more to taste, I like to use dark brown sugar and rock sugar
- A pinch of salt 鹽, optional
作法
- Soak the beans and Job's tears for 6-8 hours. I usually soak them before I go to bed.
- Drain out the water from the beans and Job's tears. Give them a rinse.
- Add them to an instant pot or pressure cooker with 960 ml (4 cups) water. Cook for 20 minutes. After the cooker finishes cooking, let it sit for 30 minutes before open the lid. The beans and Job's tears should be soft but still hold their shape. if you're using a traditional rice cooker read the instructions in this recipe.
- Add the sugar and taste. I like to add a pinch of salt as well, which is totally optional. Serve warm.
Video
備註
- Storage: Store in an air-tight container in the firdge for 3-5 days.
- 保存:冷藏密封保存 3-5 天