Zunda Mochi

Zunda mochi pair chewy rice cakes with a bright green edamame paste. The beans are boiled, their thin skins removed, and the beans crushed with sugar and a little salt. Leaving some texture in the paste preserves the contrast with the smooth mochi. The dish is a recognised local food of Miyagi and is also found elsewhere in Tohoku.^[1]

Miyagi has a broad tradition of eating mochi at annual observances and family ceremonies. Zunda mochi, made with summer-harvested edamame, have been used as offerings at Obon and the equinoctial observances and served to guests. Formerly dependent on the summer bean harvest, they can now be made throughout the year using frozen edamame. Zunda paste is also used in other sweets and café foods.^[1]