Yomogi Mochi Taste
Pavido Scalf
Yes, finally a mochi that goes perfectly with sencha. Yomogi (Japanese mugwort), julienned into tiny strings and mixed with the mochi dough, gives the mochi a clean, refreshing taste, which reminds me of the tip of a Vietnamese bnh t or a bnh t gai (*).
However, what struck me was the filling: red bean and sweet potato paste. The red bean is the main factor, the sweet potato is only at the top, closest to the doughy coat. The azuki sweetness subdues the fishiness (umami) of sencha, and the sencha bitterness subdues the sweetness. Is this why the Japanese use azuki for their desserts so often?
In Japanese kitchens, Yomogi is celebrated for its earthy, slightly bitter flavor, which adds complexity and a splash of color to dishes. Most famously, it is incorporated into Yomogi mochi, where the herb infuses the sticky rice cake with its distinctive green hue and a subtle, aromatic taste. Yomogi can also be found in Japanese confectionery, teas, and even as a flavoring for bread.
Pound the mochi dough in the Suribachi, using a pestle and occasional dips of water to prevent sticking, until it becomes smooth and elastic.
Divide the dough, flatten each piece (thinner on the edges), place a ball of red bean paste in the center, and carefully wrap the mochi around it.
Dust the finished mochi with Kinako (roasted soybean flour) for an extra layer of flavor. The result is a stretchy, velvety mochi that not only tastes amazing but also brings the essence of Nakatanido into your home.
You can eat mochi (Japanese rice cakes) virtually everywhere in Japan, but have you ever eaten it made by the fastest mochi pounders in the nation? In the heart of Nara City stands a famous mochi shop called Nakatanidou, where crowds of visitors flock to daily.
Nakatanidou's pride and claim to fame is their dramatic mochi-pounding process, a tradition known as mochitsuki in Japanese. They perform high-speed mochitsuki every day at the shop, churning out hundreds of pieces of mochi, fresh and warm from the pounding.
As soon as the huge, green mound of glutinous rice is tossed into the wooden mortar, that's when the excitement rises. Customers and passers-by form a crowd in front of the shop where the mochi makers get ready with their large, mallet-like pestles. The skilled workers have such experience that they carry out the rapid pounding of mochi in a blur of motion without ever missing their mark, punctuating each swing of the heavy pestle with a shout.
Nakatanidou consecutively won the national high-speed mochitsuki championship in 2005 and 2006; since then they have become a famous destination to witness thrilling mochitsuki performances. Mochitsuki is carried out around once every half hour, or when the shopkeepers notice a sizeable crowd starting to form.
The action-packed mochitsuki is not just for show. The result of that powerful pounding is soft, chewy yomogi mochi, which is dusted by hand with kinako (roasted soybean flour) before being served to customers. Inside each mochi is a generous filling of red bean paste. The sweetness and gooey texture of red bean complements the yomogi flavour well, a pleasant taste that is unique to traditional Japanese confectionery.
Everything is light and easy to take away in your hand, a perfect snack to have as you explore the surrounding streets and parks of Nara City. Located within walking distance are popular tourist spots such as Nara Park (with its popular deer) and the Naramachi old town district, so Nakatanidou would be a good stop on your sightseeing itinerary.
You can eat mochi (Japanese rice cakes) virtually everywhere in Japan, but have you ever eaten it made by the fastest mochi pounders in the nation? In the heart of Nara City stands a famous mochi shop called Nakatanidou, where crowds of visitors flock to daily. Nakatanidou's pride and claim to fame is their dramatic mochi-pounding process, a tradition known as mochitsuki in Japanese. They perform high-speed mochitsuki every day at the shop, churning out hundreds of pieces of mochi, fresh and warm from the pounding. [photo id='114838'] Watch mochitsuki Nakatanidou's specialty is yomogi mochi. Yomogi is a Japanese wild plant also known as mugwort, and gives the mochi its natural green color and refreshing taste. As soon as the huge, green mound of glutinous rice is tossed into the wooden mortar, that's when the excitement rises. Customers and passers-by form a crowd in front of the shop where the mochi makers get ready with their large, mallet-like pestles. The skilled workers have such experience that they carry out the rapid pounding of mochi in a blur of motion without ever missing their mark, punctuating each swing of the heavy pestle with a shout. Nakatanidou consecutively won the national high-speed mochitsuki championship in 2005 and 2006; since then they have become a famous destination to witness thrilling mochitsuki performances. Mochitsuki is carried out around once every half hour, or when the shopkeepers notice a sizeable crowd starting to form. [photo id='114837'] Tasty mochi The action-packed mochitsuki is not just for show. The result of that powerful pounding is soft, chewy yomogi mochi, which is dusted by hand with kinako (roasted soybean flour) before being served to customers. Inside each mochi is a generous filling of red bean paste. The sweetness and gooey texture of red bean complements the yomogi flavour well, a pleasant taste that is unique to traditional Japanese confectionery. [photo id='114839'] Each piece sells for 130, a small price to pay for an extraordinary experience of food that is both visually exciting and delicious. Other food souvenirs Although yomogi mochi is the star at Nakatanidou, the shop also sells rice crackers in a variety of flavors from toasted seaweed to Japanese basil to soy sauce. Everything is light and easy to take away in your hand, a perfect snack to have as you explore the surrounding streets and parks of Nara City. Located within walking distance are popular tourist spots such as Nara Park (with its popular deer) and the Naramachi old town district, so Nakatanidou would be a good stop on your sightseeing itinerary. ","publisher":"@type":"Organization","@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","url":"https:\/\/en.japantravel.com\/","name":"Japan Travel","logo":"@type":"ImageObject","@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","name":"Japan Travel","url":"https:\/\/en.japantravel.com\/images\/logo_v2.jpg","url":"\/nara\/mochi-pounding-at-nakatanidou\/20313","wordCount":427,"mainEntityOfPage":"@type":"WebPage","@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","@id":"https:\/\/en.japantravel.com\/","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2024-07-03T23:55:01+09:00","keywords":"mochi, mochitsuki, nakatanidou, sweets, japanese, traditional","author":"@type":"Person","@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","name":"Cheryl Mui","sameAs":[],"url":"https:\/\/en.japantravel.com\/profile\/cheryl-mui\/4868"}if (!$.cookie("accepted_cookies")) { var GDPRNotice = $('\ \ \ We use cookies to optimize your experience. By using our site you agree to our cookies policy.\
I grew up eating qingtuan and always loved the unique aroma of the green sticky rice dough (which is very similar to Japanese mochi). You already know my love for the filling, which is traditionally red bean paste.
Having spent the past thirty-something years (since I left Shanghai), missing this springtime treat, I recently found out that the ingredient I need to make it myself has been right under my nose this whole time!
But a really great tip I know that anyone would enjoy: put a bunch in your fire pit while relaxing in your backyard or out camping. The smoke generated from burning fresh mugwort will keep the mosquitoes away!
With young mugwort plants, you can harvest all the leaves. With older and stalky mugwort plants, only pinch the tender leaves around the tops. The best time to consume mugwort is in the spring, when they are still tender and the taste is more mild.
After learning how to spot mugwort, we felt more comfortable foraging for it on our own. We grabbed Barley and a basket, and walked down the street to an open patch of meadow near our house to harvest some.
You need 15 balls of red bean paste, each weighing 25g (about 1 tablespoons). To prepare them for the qingtuan, roll the cooled red bean paste into smooth balls. If desired, you can use less, as many people enjoy the texture of the mochi dough more than the filling.
Ultimately, the dough is very forgiving! Your goal is to be able to seal them tightly around the filling. Once cooked, wetter dough will be gooey in texture, and drier dough will be chewier. I prefer chewy!
TheWoksofLife.com is written and produced for informational purposes only. While we do our best to provide nutritional information as a general guideline to our readers, we are not certified nutritionists, and the values provided should be considered estimates. Factors such as brands purchased, natural variations in fresh ingredients, etc. will change the nutritional information in any recipe. Various online calculators also provide different results, depending on their sources. To obtain accurate nutritional information for a recipe, use your preferred nutrition calculator to determine nutritional information with the actual ingredients and quantities used.
Judy is the mom of The Woks of Life family. Born in Shanghai, she arrived in the U.S. at age 16. Fluent in both English and three separate Chinese dialects, she's our professional menu translator when we're eating our way through China. Dedicated to preserving disappearing recipes and traditions, her specialty is all things traditional, from mooncakes to home-style stir-fries.
Gyuhi Mochi with Azuki Beans
This gyuhi mochi is from Sentaro. Yomori (mugwort) is a herb that is very commonly added to mochi for flavor and medicinal effects. In this sakura gyuhi mochi, the salted sakura blossoms were clearly visible, however did not have a very pronounced taste. The taste of sakura, especially the leaves is surprisingly strong.