Sanshoku Ohagi (三色おはぎ)

Steps

1. 

   Rinse the sticky rice, drain excess water, transfer to a pot, add 400 ml water, add salt, cover with a lid and cook over medium heat for 12 minutes, then reduce heat to low.

2. 

   Remove the pot from the heat without removing the lid, let the rice rest for 10 minutes, then mash with a damp wooden pestle, divide the mass into 16 equal portions and shape small balls.

3. 

   Boil the soy beans in lightly salted water until tender, drain, remove the skins, mash in a mortar, add 2 tsp sugar and mix thoroughly to obtain soy paste.

4. 

   Grind the toasted white sesame seeds, then mix them with 0.5 tbsp sugar and a pinch of salt to make a sesame coating.

5. 

   Form 4 rice balls with soy paste: place a portion of soy paste on a piece of cling film, roll into a disc about 8 cm in diameter, place a rice ball in the center, wrap with the film and remove it.

6. 

   Form 8 balls with azuki bean paste, dividing the 240 g paste into 8 equal portions and wrapping each ball.

7. 

   Roll the remaining 4 rice balls in the ground sesame to create a sesame crust.

8. 

   For the green tea: pour 200 ml hot water (≈90 °C) over 0.5 tbsp green tea leaves, let steep for 1 minute and pour into cups.