ASIAN PICADILLO WITH JOB’S TEARS

1 cup Job’s tears (hato mugi), preferably dark (yuuki hato mugi)

3 tablespoons sesame seeds

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

6 scallions, green and white parts kept separate, each thinly sliced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 to 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

3 tablespoons tahini

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce

1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Up to 1 teaspoon Asian chili paste or sauce, or sambal olek

4 radishes, diced

¹⁄₃ cup fresh cilantro leaves, minced

About 16 leaves of red leaf, green leaf, or Romaine lettuce for wrapping

1. Pour the Job’s tears into a large saucepan, cover them with cool water by several inches, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until soft but starchy, sort of like al dente soba noodles, between 1 hour and 1 hour 15 minutes, depending on the grains’ residual moisture content from long storage. Drain in a fine-mesh sieve or small-holed colander set in the sink. Run under cool water to stop the cooking. Drain thoroughly.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Pour in the sesame seeds and toast for a minute or two, just until aromatic. Scrape the seeds into a small bowl and set aside.

3. Return the skillet to the heat and swirl in the sesame oil. Add the scallion whites and stir over the heat until somewhat wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and ginger; cook for just a few seconds.

4. Add the tahini, lime juice, fish sauce, brown sugar, pepper, and chili paste. Stir over the heat just to scrape up any browned bits in the skillet.

5. When the mixture is bubbling, stir in the Job’s tears, the toasted sesame seeds, scallion greens, radishes, and cilantro. Stir over the heat just until combined. Then set aside off the heat for at least 10 minutes before serving. To serve, place dollops in lettuce leaves and roll them up, sort of like an egg roll—or fold them closed, sort of like a burrito.

SERVES 4

Active time: 20 minutes

Total time: 1 hour 40 minutes

Make ahead: Job’s tears do not store well; covered, this salad can last in the fridge about 1 day.

GRAIN SWAPS

• Substitute 1 cup oat groats for the Job’s tears. Soak the groats in a big bowl of cool water for at least 8 and up to 16 hours before cooking them. They’ll take about 45 minutes at a simmer to get tender with lots of water in a large saucepan.

TESTERS’ NOTES

• Okay, we’ll admit it: This is a long way from a true picadillo of ground beef, spices, and veggies—a dish common in Cuban cooking that is often served over rice and beans. This one’s been tweaked to Southeast Asia with the Job’s tears standing in for the beef. You might also consider serving it over long-grain brown rice and warmed black beans.
• Bottled Asian chili sauces can range from very hot to insane. Basically, you’re looking for ground chiles thinned with vinegar and seasoned with salt. In sambal olek, an Indonesian condiment, there are lots of seeds in the mix. In a pinch, you could substitute Sriracha, sometimes called “rooster sauce,” a pureed red hot sauce from Thailand.
• One warning: Sesame seeds are notorious for picking up static and clinging to everything in sight. You may only be able to get them out of the skillet by scraping it repeatedly with a heat-safe (silicone) spatula.
• The amount of ginger called for is a fairly large range, so you can design the dish to your taste.