Apr 30, 2013

Next year's Sakura mochi

The delicious sweet we have in April called Sakura mochi is composed of a bean paste and sweet sticky rice wrapped with a pickled cherry leaf.   We enjoy it while the Sakura cherry trees are blooming.  The interesting thing is that the Sakura blooms before there are leaves on the tree.  After the petals have all fallen, the leaves then come out.  So for next year's Sakura mochi, pick the leaves now and preserve them using this recipe:

How to pickle Sakura leaves:

Choose the double blossom cherry trees.  Make sure that they are not sprayed with chemicals.
Pick leaves in the Spring when tender but large enough to wrap sweets (about  4-6 inches long).  Most of the leaves come out after the blossoms have fallen. Don’t wait until they are too tough.

Wash leaves in cold water and remove stems.  Arrange in a single layer and steam for about a minute.  (it smells heavenly).  Rinse leaves in cold water to cool.  Put a layer of kosher salt in the bottom of container (plastic or ceramic). Do not use aluminum.  Over the salt put a layer of leaves, then salt, then leaves. End up with salt.  Pour hot water over the stack until leaves are submerges.  Put plastic wrap over and put a weight on top. 

Let pickle for 3-7 days.  Remove weight and layer leaves together in plastic wrap Do not wash.  Wrap and  put in freezer bag and freeze for next year.

Posted by sweetpersimmon at Tuesday, April 30, 2013
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12 comments:

  1. Rhett AultmanApril 30, 2013 at 5:38 PM

    I had no idea that it was so easy! Here in Oakland, there are weeping cherry trees everywhere, which are a double-blossom cherry. I'll have to gather leaves!

    One question, if I might-- how deep should each layer of salt be?

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    1. sweetpersimmonApril 30, 2013 at 6:04 PM

      Rhett,
      Thank you for your comment. I looked for a long time at Asian grocery stores to find them packaged, but my sensei thought it was silly and taught me to do this. I don't know if the weeping cherry are the same as the regular double cherry, but try it.

      I just sprinkle about a tablespoon between layers of leaves.

      Margie

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    2. Rhett AultmanMay 2, 2013 at 10:07 AM

      Alas, perhaps the weeping cherry will not work out so well. I sampled a few leaves from a local tree, and while they have the texture, they lack any appreciable fragrance.

      Thank you for the recipe and guidance, however. I will just have to find a preferable source of leaves!

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    3. sweetpersimmonMay 2, 2013 at 12:39 PM

      So now we know that the weeping cherry is not a good source of leaves... interesting

      Delete
  2. Tea ApprenticeMay 1, 2013 at 11:34 PM

    Thank you for this. I will try to find some double-blossom cherry trees! Does it just mean the ones that have a lot more than 5 petals each blossom?

    In the meanwhile, I was inspired to try making this myself for the first time this year. This was how it turned out: https://gallery.soufflemoments.com:440/v/admin/food/DSC_0532.JPG.html

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    1. sweetpersimmonMay 2, 2013 at 9:21 AM

      Tea Aprrentice,
      Thank you for commenting. I took a look at your creation and it looks very nice. Did you make the leaves yourself? Sometimes I throw in a few buds and blossoms when I pickle the leaves as well. Double cherries look like puff balls. and yes any cherry that has more than 5 petals. You will have many more supplies for next year.
      Margie

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    2. sweetpersimmonMay 2, 2013 at 12:37 PM

      This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    3. Tea ApprenticeMay 2, 2013 at 5:43 PM

      Oh, no, I didn't make the leaves myself -- I bought them, and the blossoms, at my local Japanese grocery. I just made the rice and red bean paste and put it all together :P I was going to ask whether the process for pickling the blossoms is the same as for pickling the leaves. So it sounds like it is? I will try the pickling myself, because the leaves and blossoms were very expensive! Thank you for your advice!

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  3. Matthew ThiviergeMay 5, 2013 at 3:05 PM

    A wonderful recipe and a truly great post! Thanks for the idea! I shall be collecting leaves later this week. Greetings again from sunny Busan South Korea.

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    1. sweetpersimmonMay 6, 2013 at 3:39 PM

      Matt,
      Thank you for your comment and for following the blog. Let me know how it turns out.

      Margie

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  4. KatieMay 9, 2013 at 2:24 PM

    Thank you for sharing this!

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    1. sweetpersimmonMay 9, 2013 at 3:19 PM

      Katie,
      I hope you can use them for next year.
      Margie

      Delete

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