Sangha Year-End Mochitsuki (Dec. 28 & 29, 2009)
With the help of over one hundred and twenty dedicated volunteers the Sangha washed, steamed and pounded 850 pounds of mochi-go-me (sweet rice) on December 28th and 29th, 2009. The actual making of the mochi was done on the second day as the first day was spent on preparations. The result from this prodigious effort was 30 boxes of Anko-mochi (a sweet rice cake or mochi with an azuki red bean paste core), 1000 plus packets of Komochi with12 standard mochi cakes per packet and 110 sets of Osonae (Buddhist) or Okagami (Shinto) mochi. The Osonae mochi set consists of a base made from 6 komochi and a top made from 4 komochi. Under the supervision of experienced masters, these mochi are carefully hand tucked and molded to a desired shape and then placed on special cardboard for ease of handling and the dissipation of moisture. It is then transferred to the fanning table where a number of young men and ladies vigorously fan the mochi until the texture and shape has been set. It is then put on trays and moved into the roll in fridge where the temperature has been set to chill but not harden the mochi. It stays there for 2 to 3 hours until it is ready for the customers. It is then taken from the fridge, brushed clean of any rice flour and packed in two different sized styrene foam containers to distinguish the top from the base in order to make a set.
The Osonae set is usually topped with mikan (mandarin orange) that symbolizes being fruitful. Sometimes a strip of kombu (dry seaweed) which represents joy is also added. The Osonae is placed before the Buddhist altar in gratitude for a fruitful and joyous New Year. It usually remains on the altar for 3 to 7 days before it is removed. Before the advent of plastic wrap the mochi got quite hard and often cracked but now many people use the wrap to keep the moisture in and to give a shiny appearance. After it has been taken down, it is chopped up and baked or toasted and served as zenzai in the azuki red bean sweetened soup or dunked in water and microwaved with soy sauce and sugar or kinako, a yellow soy flour and sugar. It makes a delightful snack or even a light lunch. Enjoy!
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