Red Bean Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/2 lb adzuki beans
1 lb pork, cut into chunks
1 large carrot
1 large onion
3 large celery ribs, with leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons basil
1 1/2 teaspoons marjoram
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
4 cups water
1/4 cup sherry wine (medium dry)

Preparation

Boil the Adzuki beans until they are slightly soft.
Drain the water and rinse the beans, place them back in a large pot.
Chop up the carrots, celery, and onions, and place them in the pot with the beans.
Add the rest of the ingredients (spices, pork, water), except the sherry.
Mix the ingredients.
Cover and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and cook just under a boil for 2 to 3 hours (until beans are very soft, soup is thick and vegetables have thoroughly cooked).
Before serving, add the sherry and stir.
I like a particularly thick,\"stew like\" soup.
If you want a thinner soup, just add more water!
Also, I tend to add my spices liberally- just season to taste!
The pork is mainly to give flavour, so get something with a little fat on it!
Note: Adzuki beans are Japanese beans.
You can substitute with other beans, but the cooking time may vary.