Ceremonial Rice Cakes

You’ll recognize Chikara Mochi, a Japanese rice cake shop in Gardena, by the blue noren (curtains) fluttering outside. The delicate little cakes on display inside include four that are used in the Japanese tea ceremony. They are kaki (persimmon), which is tinted orange to resemble the fruit; botan (peony), a white cake with a pink blush; kiku (chrysanthemum), which is pink; and yuki (snowflake), a white cake with the image of a snowflake pressed into the top. All are made of rice flour dough stuffed with sweetened bean paste. The dark paste is made with red beans and the white paste with limas.

Mochi cakes, 90 cents each at Chikara Mochi, 16108 S. Western Ave., Gardena. (310) 324-5256.