Kashiwa Mochi Rice Cakes

Ease:: Simple
Serves:: 1
Prep time:: 15 minutes
Cook time:: 15 minutes
Total time:: 30 minutes

Japanese sweets at their most traditional, this kashiwa mochi recipe will have you rolling out sweet red bean filled mochi rice treats in no time.

Ingredients

200g azuki sweet red beans

200g joshinko non-glutinous rice flour

280ml water

8 oak leaves

Method

Roll the azuki bean paste into balls: Divide 200g of azuki bean paste into 8 small balls and set aside.

Make the mochi dough: While the liquid is being removed from the azuki beans, mix the rice flour and water well in a bowl before covering the bowl and then heating in a microwave on full heat for 4 minutes.

Mix the mochi dough: Remove the bowl from the microwave and mix the contents again. Then put back in the microwave for a further 3 minutes.

Knead the mochi dough: Remove the bowl from the microwave and you should have a nice solid dough. Use your hands to knead the dough until it is soft and as smooth as possible and then split it into 8 equally sized flattened pieces. Your dough should look a little like bread dough at this stage.

Assemble the kashiwa mochi: Place the azuki bean balls from step 1 onto the dough then fold the dough over and seal around the edge so that the paste inside is fully sealed.

Wrap the mochi: Lastly wrap up each piece of mochi with an oak leaf once the dough has cooled down and serve. Remember, the oak leaf is just for decoration and not supposed to be eaten.