Subject: Kusamochi
From: [email-masked]
Date: 14 Jan 2000 03:42:10 -0700
Newsgroups: rec.food.recipes

Herb Mochi (Kusamochi)
From: The Heart of Zen Cuisine, by Soei Yoneda.
SERVES 4

1 2/3  cups   shiratamako (non-glutinous white rice flour)
1      cup    water
2      cups   curly chicory, green parts of leaves only, parboiled 10-20 
seconds in lightly salted water and plunged into cold water 
cornstarch

Add water to shiratamako a little at a time, mixing and kneading with
your hand to make a smooth mixture. The aim is a mixture that is firm,
smooth, and soft--like your earlobe, as the Japanese say. Be careful
when adding water--toward the end, a little goes a long way. A Tbsp or 2
more than 1 cup may be necessary.
Line steamer with a clean kitchen towel or 2 layers of cheesecloth, then
place it on medium-high heat.
Break shiratamako mixture into 1 1/2-inch (4cm) rough lumps and place
lumps in hot steamer. Cover with ends of cloth and steam 10-15 minutes,
until soft throughout. The steaming transforms the shiratamako mixture
into a form of mochi(glutinous rice) cake.

While steaming, finely chop parboiled chicory and then grind in a
suribachi grinding bowl or mortar (or use processor to cut it very
finely, but do not puree).
Add steamed mochi to suribachi and mix with pestle until chopped green
is evenly distributed in the tacky mass (or use a processor for this,
working carefully).
Dredge [sprinkle or sift] a working surface (or baking pan) generously
with cornstarch, place green mochi on cornstarch, and dredge entire
mochi surface. Shape either into a single flat rectangle or small
rounds, as you like.
Eat immediately with sweet asuki bean paste (anko), soy powder (kinako),
yuzu citron and sweet miso, jam, marmalade, or whatever you like. This
can also be toasted just like mochi.
Keeps 2-3 days.
--
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