Kusa Mochi

Kusa Mochi (Yomogi Mochi)

Kusa Mochi is a traditional Japanese confection featuring chewy mochi wrapped around sweet red bean paste, tinted green with fragrant yomogi (Japanese mugwort). This recipe uses a small amount of wheat flour to give the dough a soft, pliable texture similar to classic Tokyo-style kusa mochi.

Prep

25 min

Cook

25 min

Total

50 min

Serves

8 pieces

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •100 g (3½ oz) glutinous rice flour (shiratamako), or 100 g / 3½ oz glutinous rice flour plus 15 g / 1 Tbsp wheat flour for a softer dough
• •15 g (1 Tbsp) wheat flour (cake or all-purpose), traditional Tokyo-style addition; omit for a pure mochi texture
• •40 g (⅓ cup packed) fresh yomogi (Japanese mugwort) leaves, youngest tender leaves only; see note for frozen/paste substitution
• •180 ml (¾ cup) water, divided; 100 ml for blanching yomogi, 80 ml for the dough
• •1 g (¼ tsp) salt
• •30 g (2 Tbsp) granulated sugar, for the dough
• •200 g (7 oz) koshian (smooth red bean paste), store-bought or homemade; divide into 8 balls of 25 g each
• •20 g (2 Tbsp) potato starch or katakuriko, for dusting hands and work surface
• •1 g (a pinch) baking soda, added to the blanching water to preserve yomogi's green color

Steps

1. 1 Bring 100 ml water to a boil with a pinch of baking soda in a small saucepan. Add the yomogi leaves and blanch 20–30 seconds until bright green and tender.
2. 2 Drain immediately and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Squeeze out excess moisture very thoroughly, then finely chop the leaves and pound or blend them into a smooth paste with 1 Tbsp of the measured dough water.
3. 3 In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the glutinous rice flour, wheat flour, sugar, salt, the yomogi paste, and 80 ml water. Stir with a whisk until completely smooth with no lumps.
4. 4 Cover loosely with plastic wrap and microwave on high (800 W) for 2 minutes. Stir vigorously with a wet spoon to break up the partially cooked dough.
5. 5 Microwave 1 more minute, then stir again; the dough should be very hot and translucent. If any white streaks remain, microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring between each, until uniformly translucent and sticky. Internal temperature should reach at least 75 °C / 165 °F.
6. 6 Lightly dust a work surface and your hands with potato starch. Turn the hot dough out onto the surface and dust the top with more starch.
7. 7 Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces (about 40 g each). Roll each into a ball, flatten into a 8 cm / 3-inch round disc about 5 mm thick.
8. 8 Place one 25 g ball of koshian in the center of each disc. Pinch the edges up and around the filling, seal firmly, and roll smooth between starch-dusted palms.
9. 9 Serve at room temperature, traditionally on a small wooden board or ceramic plate. Kusa mochi is best eaten the same day, within 8 hours, as the dough firms in the refrigerator.