zenzai or shiruko

In Japan, many of the same things have different names in different parts of the country, especially food.

For example, in Kansai (Western Japan), zenzai is tsubushian (chunky sweet bean paste) mixed with water to make a soup-like treat and mochi (rice cake) is then added to it. In Kanto (Eastern Japan), this is called inaka shiruko (country sweet red bean soup).

In Kansai, shiruko is koshian (smooth sweet bean paste) mixed with water to make a soup-like treat and shiratama (rice flour dumplings) are added to it. In Kanto, this is called gozen shiruko (a high-class sweet red bean soup).

In Kansai, kameyama is mochi topped with tsubushian and there is no "soup" and is supposed to resemble a mountain in Kyoto. In Kanto, this is called zenzai.

What is all this leading up to? Well, today was REALLY cold, I think the weatherguy said that the highest it would be was 7C(44F). I was hoping for flurries, but no luck. So, anyway, for dinner, I wanted to make a dessert that would be warm...

At the market, I found these cute little mochi, so I also bought some tsubushian and some strawberries.

I followed the directions on the package of mochi and heated 3 of them up. After heating them, I cut each one in half.

Then I heated 100g of tsubushian with 50cc (about a 1/4 cup) of water until it was soupy.

I cut 3 strawberries into fourths.

Put 3 mochi into a bowl, add the "soup" and top with 6 pieces of strawberry...Kat's Kansai-style zenzai or a deconstructed ichigo daifuku...whatever you decide to call it...it is delicious!

NOTES: this makes 2 "cute" bowls or 1 serving.