Sakura Mochi

• 360 ml Mochi rice
• 16 Sakura leaves preserved in salt
• 2 tbsp Sugar
• 1 Red food colouring
• 350 grams Store-bought azuki bean paste

1. If the store-bought anko has a lot of liquid, boil it off in a saucepan.
2. Divide the paste into 16 equal pieces and shape into balls.
3. Rinse 2 cups of mochi rice and drain in a sieve.
4. Put the sugar in a bowl and mix with a tiny amount of red food colouring.
5. Put the mochi rice in the rice cooker along with 360 ml water and the sugar and food colouring mixture from Step 3.
6. Mix together and cook as normal.
7. Once cooked, mash the rice lightly with a rolling pin, etc.
8. Spread the rice out on a baking tray and divide into 16 equal pieces.
9. Place 1 part of the rice mixture on top of some cling film and flatten it out.
10. Add a ball of the anko on top and wrap the rice to the center.
11. Wrap in a sakura leaf and they're ready.

rice, salt, sugar, red food colouring

Taken from cookpad.com/us/recipes/151432-sakura-mochi (may not work)