rice taffy

It's a New Year's tradition to make mochi, a soft, stretchy, glutinous rice. At the British School's own after-school shin nen kai (new year's party) this week, students took turns pounding big globs of it with a large mallet; two Japanese ladies would then pull off small pieces, roll them into balls and serve them in little white cups topped with chocolate or strawberry. Instead of a spoon you got a little wooden stick.