Japanese cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Kusa Mochi

Deep green rice cake with mugwort, filled with red bean paste and rolled in soy flour.

Ingredients · for 6 servings

• 200 g glutinous rice flour (shiratamako or mochiko)
• 100 g sugar
• 280 ml water
• 40 g dried mugwort (yomogi, or 2 tsp matcha instead)
• 300 g sweet red bean paste (anko)
• 50 g kinako (roasted soy flour)
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 pinch salt

Instructions

1. Soak the dried mugwort in hot water for 15 min., squeeze out well and chop very finely, until an almost paste-like, deep green mass forms.
2. Roll the red bean paste into twelve balls and chill so they can be enclosed cleanly later.
3. Mix glutinous rice flour, sugar and a pinch of salt, stir in the water and steam the smooth batter covered over boiling water for 15–18 min.
4. Fold the mugwort into the hot dough and beat it vigorously with a wet wooden spatula for 2–3 min., until the color is evenly deep green and the mass is glossy and stretchy.
5. Turn the dough out onto a surface dusted with cornstarch, divide into twelve pieces, flatten each one, set an anko ball inside and close the dough over it.
6. Roll the kusa mochi in kinako, tap off excess flour and serve the same day at room temperature with green tea.