One of the signature local desserts of Sendai, in the Miyagi Prefecture up north, is Zunda mochi (ずんだ餅). Edamame (枝豆, Green soybeans) are young soybeans that can only be harvested in summer, the edamame are then boiled, mashed, mixed with sugar to make Zunda Bean Paste. This paste is then mixed together with freshly pounded mochi (餅, Rice cake)to make Zunda mochi. Edamame are also seen as health food, being harvested young, they actually contain more minerals and vitamins than regular soybeans with Vitamins A and C as well as protein and calcium.
Zunda Saryo is one of the most popular shops in Sendai, and has opened a branch at Tokyo Station. What makes them special is their Zunda Shakes that takes Zunda Bean Paste and milk, and is blended into a vanilla-style milkshake. It’s quite hard to imagine what a milkshake made of edamame would taste like, but one sip of it and most people would be hooked. There’s a reason why this Edamame Shake has become one of the most popular things to get when visiting Sendai.
