Sakuramochi
Sakuramochi (桜餅) is a Japanese Sweets, sweet pink mochi, covered with sakura leaf. It is especially eaten by girls on Hinamatsuri, March 3.
The style of Sakuramochi differs from the regions in Japan. Basically, the east of Japan such as Tokyo uses shiratama-ko (白玉粉, rice flour) and the west side such as Kansai uses dōmyōji-ko (道明寺粉, glutinous rice flour) for batter.
Recipe
This recipe is for making Western-style sakuramochi. Serves 8.
- Ingredients
3/4 cup glutinous rice flour, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 cup water, 3/4 cup red bean paste, red food color (Optional), 8 sakura leaves pickled in salted water
- Preparation
Wash pickled sakura leaves and dry.
Boil water in a pan. Mix glutinous flour in the water. Cover the pan with a lid and leave it for 5 minutes.
Place a wet cloth in a steamer and put the dough on the cloth. Steam the dough for about 20 minutes over medium heat.
Remove the steamed dough to a bowl.
Mash the dough slightly with a wooden pestle, mixing sugar in.
Dissolve a little bit of red food color in some water. Add some of the red water in the dough and mix well.
Divide the pink mochi into 8 balls.
Flat each mochi ball by hands and place red bean paste filling on the dough.
Wrap the filling with mochi and rounds by hands.
Wrap each mochi with a sakura leaf.