Sakura-mochi with Chunky Sweetened Adzuki Bean Paste - sugar

Method

• Soak the cherry leaves in lukewarm water to remove excess salt.
• I used store-bought tsubu-an this time.
• If the paste is too runny, put it in a pan and heat to get rid of the excess moisture.
• Shape the adzuki paste into 15 g balls.
• Mix the boiling water and sugar in a heatproof dish.
• Add the red food coloring to make it pale pink.
• Stir in the domyojiko and cover the dish with plastic wrap.
• Microwave at 600 W for 3 minutes and 20 seconds.
• Stir the mixture lightly and cover with plastic.
• Microwave it for a further 3 minutes and 20 seconds, then let it stand for 10 minutes to let it steam.
• Put 20 g of the mixture onto a piece of plastic wrap.
• Make it into a thin round circle.
• Keep the rest covered with plastic wrap all the time to prevent it from drying out.
• Repeat the process with the rest of the mixture while it is still hot.
• Moisten your hands lightly and wrap the adzuki paste with the prepared dough.
• Correct the shape inside the plastic wrap.
• Pat dry the sakura leaves with kitchen paper and wrap the mochi with them.
• The leaf veins should be on the outside.
• This is the type of tsubu-an and domyojiko I used.