This was
Yomogi Mochi - Japanese rice cake mixed
Yomogi or
Artemisia princeps (Japanese Mugwort) filled with Azuki, sweeten red beans. Also powered with Kinako, roasted soy bean powder.
When I was a child, there would be many green fields around my house where I used to pick fresh Yomogi leaves with my mother and sister to make fresh
Yomogi Mochi. It was our Spring event. Today those fields have gone after a series of urban development; besides I live far from Japan. A good news is that my mother can send me dried
Yomogi powder along with two rice cake powder so that I can make these Japanese specialties even in the US.
These were pan-fried version of Yomogi Mochi. We had
something similar when we visited a small village near Mt. Fuji, Japan last year. A delicious memory from the trip rushed into our minds.
Although handling hot steamy sticky mochi was troublesome, fresh homemade
Yomogi Mochi was the best of best! The grassy treats made me realize spring always comes after winter.
