A Summertime Sweet from Tohoku: Zunda (Edamame) Mochi

• 1 bag Edamame
• 50 grams Castor sugar
• 1/4 tsp plus Salt
• 7 to 8 Store-bought sliced mochi cakes (if available)

1. Boil the edamame in salted water until tender (just go with the same big pinch of salt that you'd use to boil edamame regularly).
2. Take the edamame out of their pods, and peel the thin skin off the beans.
3. Put the peeled beans in a grinding bowl.
4. (The beans with the pods and skins removed should be about 100 to 130 g.)
5. Grind the edamame into a smooth paste.
6. It's important not to leave any lumps.
7. Carefully grind the beans for a smooth, creamy paste.
8. Once the edamame beans are mashed, keep grinding as you would grind sesame seeds until it's as smooth as possible.
9. Add sugar in several batches, and keep grinding to dissolve.
10. Add the salt and grind it in.
11. The zunda-an (edamame bean paste) is done.
12. Cut the mochi cakes in half and put in a heatproof dish.
13. Add enough water to cover the mochi, and microwave until softened.
14. Drain the mochi well, and serve with the zunda-an.
15. Store-bought zunda-an has water to make it more creamy.
16. To make yours like the kind you'd find at the store, add a little water that's been boiled and cooled.
17. The zunda-an is also delicious with shiratama dumplings instead of mochi.
18. You can also use it as a spread on bread, or to fill various sweets.
19. The zunda-an can also be frozen if you want to keep it for longer.

edamame, sugar, salt, cakes

Taken from cookpad.com/us/recipes/156315-a-summertime-sweet-from-tohoku-zunda-edamame-mochi (may not work)