Make Mochi

Mochi is a type of Japanese rice cake. Very chewy and sweet, it takes some effort to make, but it is worth the effort and indeed, making mochi is both an art form and a tradition. It is often referred to as "o-mochi", an honorific added to show that this is considered a sacred food.[1] Mochi is an indispensable part of New Year celebrations in Japan.

Traditionally, Mochi is made by steaming glutinous rice, then pounding this in a very large mortar. Since this is virtually impossible unless you have the correct equipment at home, the recipe here provides a simpler method, using an oven.

Ingredients

  • All of these ingredients can be found at an Asian supermarket or grocery store:
  • 1lb (500g) Mochiko (glutinous rice flour, sometimes called sweet rice flour)
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 1 can coconut milk
  • 1/2 can sweetened condensed milk (preferred for thicker sweeter mochi)
  • 1 1/2 cups of water
  • A few drops of food colouring (preferably red)
  • Katakuriko (potato starch) (cornstarch is also a substitute or variation)

Steps

  1. Assemble the ingredients and items needed to prepare the mochi.
  2. Sift the Mochiko into a large bowl.
  3. Add the cups of white sugar.
  4. Add the unsweetened coconut milk. Do not stir.
  5. Add the cups of plain water and a few drops of food colouring. Mix with a balloon whisk until the mixture is lump free.
  6. Preheat the oven to 200° .
  7. Line the cake pans with aluminum foil (bottom and sides), grease the foil with oil or spray.
  8. Divide the batter into the three cake pans. Cover the batter with more greased foil so that the foil is touching the batter.
  9. Bake for 1 hour on the middle shelf of your oven.
  10. Let cool for another hour, then take off the top foil from one of the pans.
  11. Dust a work surface with katakuriko (potato starch) and invert the mochi onto the surface. Very slowly and carefully peel off the other layer of foil, and be careful because it will try to stick.
  12. Cut off the crusts around the edge of the mochi. As the cook's prerogative, you can snack on these while you prepare the final product.
  13. Cut the mochi into triangles or squares.
  14. Dust each mochi triangle or square on the bottom, top and sides with katakuriko. Do this until all of the mochi are dusted.
    • Sweet versions: Mochi can be gently rolled in desiccated coconut, dusted in cocoa powder or dusted with Matcha powder for eating as a sweet.
  15. Serve. You should now have the yummiest thing you have ever tasted in your life.
    • Mochi can be served in soup. In Japan, mochi is served in a hot soup called ozoni for the New Year breakfast.
    • Mochi is great served with a little soy sauce and wasabi.
    • If serving as a sweet, be sure to have it with some Japanese green tea.



Tips

  • The mochi is very sticky, so remember to dust it with katakuriko (potato starch).
  • This takes a lot of time, so be prepared to spend an entire afternoon on this.
  • In Japan, making mochi is a winter tradition; indeed it is a ritual. It is also an exercise in trust because the ritual involves the wife turning and wetting the glutinous rice in a large wooden tub while her husband brings down the large wooden mallet to pound the rice.
  • If you can't find the ingredients, you can buy them online, but be careful.

[1]

  • You can also put it in a sort of ball-like shape, which seems to be a rather popular form.

Warnings

  • Be sure to take care when touching the mochi. You can easily burn yourself.
  • Mochi is chewy and sticky, so be careful who eats it. It is possible to choke while eating mochi, so use discretion when serving this delectable treat.

Things You'll Need

  • 3 8-inch (20cm) circular cake pans
  • A whisk
  • Some oil
  • Some foil
  • A bowl

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Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Frances Case, 1001 Foods You Must Try Before You Die, p. 880, (2008), ISBN 978-0-14-301021-0
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