How to Make Kansai-Style Sakura Mochi At Home
We previously shared the Kanto style of Sakura Mochi with you, but this time we are introducing the Kansai style of Sakura Mochi. Japanese people enjoy eating this sakura mochi while watching the cherry blossoms bloom in spring.
Sakura mochi is a type of Japanese traditional sweet also known as wagashi. It is colored pink, like cherry blossoms, and is filled with red bean paste (anko). This wagashi is so special because it is wrapped in a pickled cherry blossom leaf.
There are two kinds of Sakura mochi in Japan. Both are filled with anko red bean paste and are wrapped inside pickled sakura leaves. However, the texture is quite different.
This Kansai-style Sakura mochi is eaten in the Western region of Japan, such as in Osaka, Kobe, and Kyoto. It has a strong chewy mochi texture of sweet rice. On the other hand, Kanto style is eaten in the Eastern region, such as in Tokyo, Kanagawa, and Chiba. It has a crepe-like texture but is slightly mochi-like.
The Kansai sakura mochi style is much chewier than the Kanto style. It is a bit like eating a sweet rice ball filled with red bean paste.
This Sakura mochi is also recognized as “Domyoji mochi” because it is made with Domyoji flour, or glutinous rice flour, which was named after the Domyoji Temple in Osaka.
Traditionally, Domyoji flour is used to make Sakura mochi, but it is quite hard to find even in Japanese supermarkets. For making the Kansai style of sakura mochi at home, we recommend making your own Domyoji flour from sweet glutinous rice.
The traditional way to make Domyoji flour is to soak the sweet glutinous rice overnight, then steam it for 30-40 minutes, dry it for one day, and finally crush it. You might be thinking that this takes too much time, but don’t worry! We’re going to share a special way to make this glutinous rice flour by using the microwave.
Not only does using the microwave save time, but this sakura mochi still comes out tasting great!
Additionally, we recommend using smooth red bean paste, Koshi An, as it matches the texture of rice.
With our sakura mochi recipes, you can now try both styles and compare the two flavors and textures. Let us know in the comments which style you prefer!
Overview
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 30 mins
Total time: 40 mins
Total servings: 8
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
- 100g Mochigome Sweet Rice (soak two hours in water, then set aside to drain in a colander)
- 100g Hot Water
- 30g Sugar
- Red Food Coloring
- 8 Pickled Sakura Leaves (soak for 10-20 minutes in cool water to get rid of excess salt)
- 160g Red bean paste (Smooth type or Koshian)
Expert's Tip
Instructions
1) Gathering the Ingredients
2) Crushing the Sweet Rice
3) Coloring the Sweet Rice
4) Cooking the Rice in the Microwave
5) Dividing the Rice into 8 Portions
6) Shaping the Sakura Mochi
7) Wrapping the Sakura Mochi
2 comments
Wow, how fascinating! Thank you for sharing your story with us!
Japanese Taste,
According to local legend, Sugawara no Michizane’s aunt Kakuju-ni, a Domyoji nun, offered Domyoji-mochi to pray for Michizane’s safety during his journey to Kyushu to which he was exiled under the guise of being appointed its governor. After she dedicated the rice, the nuns ate it and were said to have been cured of assorted illnesses. This is the purported origin of Domyoji-ko. This is probably another one of the many Japanese fictions that are charming but baseless. Although I am Michizane’s lineal descendant, I am a Lutheran pastor and do not consider my ancestors any kind of deities whatsoever. Your non-Japanese readers likely do not know that Michizane was declared the Shinto god of learning and literature (and other things) post mortem.
Wesley T Kan,