Today after class PII took us to a place where we would get to make wagashi, the traditional sweets eaten during tea ceremony, or when drinking macha (bitter green tea). There was a large classroom with supplies already set up, and a chef who was equipped with a microphone and a workstation that was projected onto TV screens so we could all see what he was doing and follow along.
There was one little cake already made--that was his small gift to us. Otherwise we were going to make three little wagashi ourselves, all with completely different appearances and slightly different flavors.
First we washed our hands with a towel to keep the wagashi materials from sticking to our hands when we molded them, much like you coat a rolling pin in flour before rolling out a pie crust. First we made an anko (red bean) wagashi with a multicolored outside:
We took the four small balls and pressed them flat in our palms, until they were about a half centimeter thick (yay metric system...). Then we placed the larger brown ball (the anko) in the center and worked it with our hands until it was mostly covered by the other four colors. Next we took a damp cloth and covered the semi-round wagashi, and after smoothing out any air bubbles we squeezed the wagashi until it was round and pinched the ends until they came together into a pretty twist.
The second wagashi was based off the color and shape of a rose:
The yellow color is slightly egg flavored.
First we took the white ball and pressed it flat, then we took the pink one and also pressed it flat, but so it was larger than the white one. Then we put the white disc on the pink disc and pressed them together. After they were melded and formed a fairly large disc, we put the yellow ball in the middle, and made a ball, completely covering the yellow with the pink. We rolled it between our hands to make it extra circular. Then, with a stick, we pressed lines into the ball to make a rose-ish shape:
The last one we made was the hardest. We took the green and yellow balls and placed them on the sieve-looking thing that you can see in the first picture:
You pushed your hand forward and down, smushing the balls through and then they turned into little shredded things:
Then with chopsticks you were supposed to stick them to the center ball thing but I couldn't do it so I just used my hands instead hahaha.
I feel so talented. We ate them after diner with green tea (because you're supposed to eat them within a day) and they were delicious.
There was one little cake already made--that was his small gift to us. Otherwise we were going to make three little wagashi ourselves, all with completely different appearances and slightly different flavors.
First we washed our hands with a towel to keep the wagashi materials from sticking to our hands when we molded them, much like you coat a rolling pin in flour before rolling out a pie crust. First we made an anko (red bean) wagashi with a multicolored outside:
We took the four small balls and pressed them flat in our palms, until they were about a half centimeter thick (yay metric system...). Then we placed the larger brown ball (the anko) in the center and worked it with our hands until it was mostly covered by the other four colors. Next we took a damp cloth and covered the semi-round wagashi, and after smoothing out any air bubbles we squeezed the wagashi until it was round and pinched the ends until they came together into a pretty twist.
The second wagashi was based off the color and shape of a rose:
The yellow color is slightly egg flavored.
First we took the white ball and pressed it flat, then we took the pink one and also pressed it flat, but so it was larger than the white one. Then we put the white disc on the pink disc and pressed them together. After they were melded and formed a fairly large disc, we put the yellow ball in the middle, and made a ball, completely covering the yellow with the pink. We rolled it between our hands to make it extra circular. Then, with a stick, we pressed lines into the ball to make a rose-ish shape:
The last one we made was the hardest. We took the green and yellow balls and placed them on the sieve-looking thing that you can see in the first picture:
You pushed your hand forward and down, smushing the balls through and then they turned into little shredded things:
Then with chopsticks you were supposed to stick them to the center ball thing but I couldn't do it so I just used my hands instead hahaha.
I feel so talented. We ate them after diner with green tea (because you're supposed to eat them within a day) and they were delicious.
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