Sekihan

Sekihan is a traditional dish consisting of only two main ingredients – glutinous rice and red azuki beans. The dish has a reddish hue which is a result of the cooking liquid from azuki beans. In the past, the color red was a symbol of good fortune and it supposedly warded off evil. Nowadays, sekihan is typically consumed for good luck – it is served mostly on special occasions such as birthdays, weddings, and celebrations. The dish is usually served on okuizome (a baby's first meal when it is 100 days old) and shichi-go-san (a ritual for children aged 3, 5, and 7). Traditionally, sekihan is consumed with gomashio – a combination of toasted black sesame and salt.