# Kasha Mochi ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

**Cuisine Name**: Kasha Mochi

**Region**: Our Regional Cuisines

## Main Lore Areas
Amami Area

## Main Ingredients Used
Mugwort, Baking soda, Glutinous rice flour, Sweet potato, Brown sugar, Kumatake orchid leaves

## History, Origin, and Related Events
"Kasha Mochi" is a rice cake made with "yomogi (a kind of Japanese mugwort) " produced in the Amami region. "Kasha" refers to the leaves of the "kumatake orchid", which are used to wrap the rice cake, hence the name "Kasha Mochi". It is also called "Futtsu Mochi," "fuchi Mochi," "Futsimuchi," or "Fuchidaku".In the Amami region, "yomogi (mugwort) " is often harvested and has long been used as a medicinal herb that can be boiled and eaten, or used to remove odors due to its disinfectant effect. "Kumatake orchid" is also a member of the ginger family and is said to be effective in sterilizing and repelling insects. It grows wild throughout the Amami region, and in addition to "Kasha Mochi," it is also used to wrap rice balls. It is a confectionary made from mugwort, brown sugar, and "kumatake orchid" leaves, all of which are ingredients with high efficacy that can be found close at hand.In the Amami region, the rice cake sticks to the "kumatake orchid" leaves, and the synergistic effect of the ingredients enhances the flavor, which is why it is sometimes likened to a good partner being "like a rice cake and a kasha".

## Opportunities and Times of Eating Habits
It used to be eaten on the third day of the third month of the lunar calendar, but is now eaten regardless of the time of year. It is made by freezing mugwort in the spring and wrapping it in kumatake or Shell ginger leaves.

## How to Eat
Wash mugwort in water, remove dirt, and lightly boil in hot water with baking soda. Soak the boiled mugwort in water overnight to remove the scum. Put the drained mugwort and boiled sweet potato into a blender to make a paste, then add brown sugar, glutinous rice flour, and water. Wrap the rice cake dough in a 20-cm long washable kumatake orchid leaf and steam in a steamer for about 20 minutes before serving. The subtle aroma of kumatake-rhizoma is transferred to the rice cake, and the flavor of mugwort and brown sugar is further enhanced. When eating, remove the kumatake orchid leaves and eat only the mugwort rice cake inside. If the rice cake becomes too hard, steam it for a while to make it soft again.

## Efforts for Preservation and Succession
(Outline of the traditions, the preservation society, social media use, modern approaches to commercialization) Although there are fewer opportunities to make "Kasha Mochi" at home because mugwort leaves are not as abundant as they used to be, the method of making "Kasha Mochi" has been passed down from parent to child for generations. Nowadays, it is served at seasonal events and taught in home economics classes at school. It is also commercialized and popular as a souvenir.

## Ingredients
- Mugwort: 120g (boiled and squeezed tightly)
- Baking soda: 1 tsp.
- Glutinous rice flour: 150g
- Powdered brown sugar: 160g
- Sweet potato: 100g
- Water: 80-100cc
- Kumatake orchid leaves: 5-6 leaves

## Recipe
1. 1. Wash mugwort clean and tear off the leaves. Boil plenty of water, add baking soda, and boil quickly.
2. 2. After boiling, soak the mugwort in water overnight to remove the scum (spring mugwort has less scum).
3. 3. Squeeze the 2 together tightly.
4. 4. Boil sweet potatoes, peel and mash.
5. 5. Put 3 into a speed cutter (mixer, etc.) to make a paste.
6. 6. Add 4 to 5 and make a paste. Add brown sugar powder, glutinous rice flour, and water to make a paste.
7. 7. Wash and cut kumatake orchid leaves into 20 cm lengths.
8. 8. Roll 6 into bite-size pieces by hand and wrap them in kumatake orchid leaves.
9. 9. Place in a steamer with steam and steam for about 20 minutes.

## Provider Information
provider : “Amami Food and Culture” by Hiromi Hisadome and “Traditional Amami Cuisine” by Kazuko Izumi.

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