Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat
Japanese Kashiwa Mochi Oak-Leaf Rice Cakes
日式柏餅
Recipe overview
Japanese Children’s Day rice cakes made with joshinko, smooth red bean paste and an inedible oak-leaf wrap.
01
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 200 g Japanese joshinko short-grain rice flour
- 200 g ready-to-eat smooth red bean paste
- 8 food-grade oak leaves
Dough sugar water
- 30 g sugar
- 270 ml water
02
Tools
- microwave-safe bowl
- microwave
- rice paddle
- measuring cup
- plate
03
Steps
Step 1
Wash leaves
Rinse food-grade oak leaves individually and pat dry.
Step 2
Portion filling
Divide ready-to-eat red bean paste into eight balls.
Step 3
Make sugar water
Stir sugar into water until dissolved.
Step 4
Mix flour
Put joshinko in a microwave-safe bowl and mix in sugar water gradually.
Step 5
Heat dough
Cover loosely, microwave two minutes, then stir thoroughly.
Step 6
Finish cooking
Microwave about two minutes more until fully cooked and partly translucent.
Step 7
Pound dough
Pound the hot dough with a damp rice paddle until smooth and pliable.
Step 8
Divide dough
Dampen hands, cool dough enough to handle, and divide into eight.
Step 9
Flatten ovals
Press each portion into a thin oval, slightly thicker at its centre.
Step 10
Fill cakes
Put one bean ball in each oval, fold dough over it and seal edges.
Step 11
Wrap leaves
Wrap each cooked cake in one oak leaf, veined side facing out.
Step 12
Serve
Let cool briefly on a plate; remove and discard the inedible leaf before eating.
Common mistakes
- Undercooked dough tastes floury; heat until evenly translucent.
Tips
Remove the oak leaf before eating.
Use joshinko, not glutinous rice flour, for the traditional texture.
