Shimane Kashiwa Mochi

Quick answer

Total time: 47 min
Level: Medium
Servings: 20 servings
Ingredients: 5

About this dish

Shimane kashiwa mochi is a seasonal sweet made by enclosing red bean paste in dough prepared from mixed rice dumpling flour, coating it lightly with potato starch, wrapping it in sarutori-ibara leaves, and steaming it.

Oak leaves do not grow naturally in the prefecture, so glossy, fragrant sarutori-ibara leaves became the local wrapper. The sweet has many regional names, including katara mochi in the east, maki in the west, and katari manji in Oki. Families prepare it for the Boys' Day observance in May to wish children healthy growth, and also for doro-otoshi gatherings in June or July after rice planting, when the sweet bean filling offers a substantial farm-work snack.

Ingredients (20 servings)

Ingredient	Amount	Unit
mixed rice dumpling flour	500	g
water	400	ml
sweet red bean paste	300	g
potato starch	30	g
food-safe sarutori-ibara leaves	20	piece

Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

4 steps

1

Prep

Wash both sides of 20 food-safe sarutori-ibara leaves under running water and pat dry.

Divide 300g sweet red bean paste into 20 portions of 15g and roll each into a ball.
2

Prep

Put 500g mixed rice dumpling flour in a large bowl and add 400ml water in 3 additions, mixing by hand.

Knead firmly for 8 minutes until no dry flour remains and the dough is soft like an earlobe without cracking.
3

Step

Divide the dough into 20 pieces and press each into a 9cm circle.

Place one bean-paste ball in the center, seal the edges into a half-moon, coat the entire surface lightly with the 30g potato starch, and enclose each between one leaf.
4

Control

Bring ample water to a boil in a steamer, arrange the cakes without touching, cover, and steam over strong steam for 12 minutes.

Remove when the dough is evenly translucent and springy, cool for 10 minutes, and peel away the leaf before eating.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Shimane uses sarutori-ibara instead of oak leaves
Finish cue: Remove when the dough is evenly translucent and springy, cool for 10 minutes, and peel away the leaf before eating.
Avoid this: Use leaves specifically verified and sold as food-safe; do not use foraged leaves unless identification and cleanliness are certain.