Sakura Mochi (桜餅) is a variety of wagashi, or Japanese confectionery consisting of a sweet pink mochi (rice cake) and red bean paste, covered with a leaf of sakura (cherry blossom).
Sakura Mochi (桜餅) or Cherry Blossom Mochi has been popular all over Japan since the beginning of gastronomy in the Land of the Rising Sun.
The style of Sakura Mochi 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”.
Anko is folded inside a mochi sheet and again inside an edible cherry tree leaf.
Here the anko is inside white mochi, then folded in cherry tree leaf and topped with an edible cherry flower.
A smaller, very cute Sakura Mochi: the coloure mochi contains anko and is presented inside an edible cherry tree leaf.
Sakura mochi as sold over the counter in the Kansai/West Japan Region.
They are also called Sakura Dango/Cherry Balls (no comment, please!LOL)
SIMPLE 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 coloring (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 into the dough.
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.
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日本語のブログ
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Hello,
I just bought cherry tree leaves and was wondering what I could prepare with them? Besides this mochi do you think I could steam fish with it? Do you have other ideas?
Cheers,
Myrtille
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Dear Myrtille!
Greetings!
If they are vinegar-preserved, rolling them around white-fleshed fish and steaming the whole would be a great idea!
Think of the sauce, though!
I know a French restaurant in Shizuoka using them in roll cakes, but that might be a tough to do!
Cheers,
Robert-Gilles
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These look phenomenal, Robert-Gilles! And the photos are great! Thanks for sharing this with us!
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Dear Kamran!
you are most welcome!
More coming!
Cheers,
Robert-Gilles
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wow, just beautiful. i would love to take a bite. 🙂
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Dear Friend!
Greetings!
More of them ro come soon!LOL
Cheers,
Robert-Gilles
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Sakura Mochi looks delicious . Thanks for posting
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Dear Friend!
you are most welcome!
More coming!
Cheers,
Robert-Gilles
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such pretty photos of the mochi!
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Cheers, My friend!
Robert-Gilles
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The mochi looks good. I don’t think I ‘ve had a cherry tree leaf before. Does it have a distinct flavor?
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Dear jenn!
It does!
Personally I like it very much!
Cheers,
Robert-Gilles
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