A japanese recipe of black beans cooked in sweet syrup. Kuromame (meaning “black beans” in Japanese) are tasty, sweetened black soybeans that are usually eaten as part of the Japanese New Year's celebration food (Osechi Ryori). Kuromame are ready to eat, but to yield a more striking black color, let the beans soak in the sauce for at least a day. Cover and refrigerate. You can keep for up to a week in the refrigerator, or 1 month in the freezer.