November 20, 2021, 5:37 am | Read time: 4 minutes
Mochi is a specialty from Japan that is currently experiencing a huge hype. We know what the rice cakes are all about and reveal how you can cook them at home.
You stumbled upon this recipe but had never heard of Mochis until recently? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. A few years ago, these treats from Japan were completely unknown here. Mochis are rice cakes made from a Japanese glutinous rice that can be both sweet and savory. They are always structured the same way: a thin layer of mochi dough encases a filling. Popular fillings include whole strawberries or a sweet paste made from adzuki beans.
Traditionally, this specialty is eaten in Japan on New Year’s Day. Mochi is made in a ceremony called Mochitsuki in Japan. It’s mainly about people coming together, working, and then celebrating.
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What Do Mochis Taste Like?
If you still can’t quite imagine what a Mochi tastes like, think of firm marshmallows. However, Mochis are not as sweet; instead, they use more floury ingredients. It’s mainly the filling that turns the otherwise rather tasteless dough into a delicious specialty.
By the way, in one of our episodes of “Who Beats the Geography Pro,” we had travel blogger Janina Ballali and quiz European champion Sebastian Klussmann taste a Mochi blindfolded. One of them didn’t recognize the specialty. You can see more in the video above.
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Mochis Are Also Eaten as Soup in Japan
What few people know: In Japan, Mochis are also eaten in a soup. Specifically, in Zoni, which is especially popular on New Year’s Day. The exact recipe for Zoni varies not only from region to region but also from house to house, where families pass down recipes through generations. All versions of the soup have in common that they are hot and contain some rice cake balls that become soft and elastic due to the hot water. In eastern Japan, a version of Zoni is popular, whose clear broth is based on seafood. Miso is also a popular base for the soup.
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Recipe for Japanese Mochis
Ingredients (for 20 pieces)
- 500 g glutinous rice flour
- 500 g potato starch
- 400 g anko (sweet red adzuki bean paste)
- 250 g sugar
- 900 ml water
Preparation
- Mix glutinous rice flour with sugar. Then add water and thoroughly mix everything with a whisk. Cover the mixture with plastic wrap and heat in a microwave at 1000 watts for 1.5 minutes. Make sure not to seal the plastic wrap too tightly at the edges.
- Afterward, stir the mixture, add a little water, and heat for another 1.5 minutes. Take it out again, stir, cover again, and heat for another minute. The dough should now have an almost transparent color. If not, it should be lightly moistened again and microwaved for another 30 seconds.
- Generously dust baking paper with potato starch and place the dough on it. Once the dough has cooled, flatten it with your hands, repeatedly dusting it with starch to prevent sticking. Then roll out the dough with a rolling pin until it’s about 5 mm thick. Let it cool for 15 minutes.
- Place the dough back on the work surface and use a cutter about nine cm wide to cut 20 circles from the dough. A large glass can be used for this. Then remove each Mochi circle, remove excess starch, and set aside on some plastic wrap.
- Take one of the circles in your hand and place some adzuki bean paste in the center. Then press two opposite sides together in the middle. Then press the other two sides together in the middle. Dust the Mochi with some starch from all sides. Enjoy!
Variation: Recipe for Mochi Ice Cream
Another variant of Mochis, which might be somewhat more familiar in Germany, is Mochi Ice Cream. The recipe for this version of the specialty doesn’t differ much from that for “normal” Mochis. Instead of adzuki bean paste, simply wrap ice cream scoops of your choice in the dough.