Yomogi

Yomogi is one of the most popular wild plants in Japan. It is of the chrysanthemum family. Yomogi is useful as a medical and culinary herb. In spring, we pick young leaves and make some Kusamochi. I recommend tempura of yomogi. It's delicious!  

Kusamochi (Rice cake with Yomogi)

Ingredients (for 4 or 5 servings, about 8 or 10 pieces)

30g fresh yomogi leaves  
a pinch of baking soda  
120g joshinko (a kind of rice powder)  
30g shiratamako (a kind of rice powder)  
15g sugar  
100ml hot water  
200g anko (red bean paste)  

How to make

1.   Wash yomogi leaves in a bowl of water and rinse well. If there are some stems, take away.
2.   In a lot of boiling water add a pinch of baking soda, boil yomogi for one or two minutes
3.   Strain, wash with cold water soon
4.   Squeeze excess water. Grind yomogi in a mortar
5.   Put the hot water with joshinko, shiratamako and sugar into a microwave-safe bowl. Mix well until it becomes soft.
6.   Cover and microwave it for five or 10 minutes until slightly transparent.
7.   Knead the dough together with yomogi, until it is hot.
8.   Form it into balls and fill them with anko (red bean paste).

Note

*   If you don't have fresh yomogi leaves, you can substitute dried powder of yomogi. In that case, use 10g of the powder and soak it in a water. When yomogi get soft, squeeze excess water.
*   When you form the yomogi dough into balls, you can easily make them with wetting your hands with sugared water (sugar:water=1:1) or light flavor vegetable oil.
     
    Have fun!

How to buy

1.   Dry yomogi leaves .It is 3,500yen/kg in Spring and Summer.
It is 5,500yen in autamn and Winter
2.   Dry yomogi Powder.It is 6,000/kg.
3.   Live yomogi leaves.It is 4,000/kg.

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